At 30 years of age, Endo was not what Liverpool fans expected when it came to the third signing of the summer – but all signs point to his imminent arrival.

The Stuttgart captain has been given the green light to travel to Merseyside to complete a transfer, as per the Athletic, with the Reds acting swiftly after two recent disappointments.

David Ornstein, citing sources in Germany, states the fee is in the region of €19 million (£16.24m) – the player had one year left on his contract in Germany.

With talks at an advanced stage, the expectation is that this one will be completed in a timely fashion, seeing Endo join Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai as a summer arrival.

While on the face of it there can be confusion as to why the club have gone down this route, when looking to replace the leadership and experienced lost, it makes sense.

Wataru Endo

Age: 30
Height: 5’10”
Position: Defensive midfielder, centre-back
Nationality: Japanese

Endo is currently the captain of both his club and country and comes highly regarded by German experts, who hail his aggression, energy and discipline.

As long as his arrival comes alongside a younger, higher calibre defensive midfielder ready to slot straight into the starting XI, it can be seen as a wise move by the club.

The 30-year-old can help fill the void left by the likes of James Milner, Fabinho and Jordan Henderson without the same high milage in his legs.

He has the versatility to operate as a defensive midfielder and at centre-back, qualities Jurgen Klopp looks for and now looks to have secured with a medical reportedly set for Thursday.