Wataru Endo was watching from afar as Liverpool switched from one target to the next, their pursuit of a proven defensive midfielder becoming increasingly fraught as the clock ticked nearer to deadline day.

And all the while, one thought was going through the mind of the Japan international.

“I thought maybe they needed experienced midfielders or something like that, because (Jordan) Henderson had moved, and also Fabinho had moved to another club, so I thought there may be a chance,” says Endo.

“To be honest I followed Liverpool’s news that they wanted midfielders and they wanted a number six, but yeah – I thought (Moises) Caicedo had gone to Liverpool! So when he went to Chelsea I just thought ‘maybe, maybe’.”

Not that Endo was expecting the call from Jurgen Klopp last week given Liverpool’s policy under Fenway Sports Group to sign younger players. Indeed, the 30-year-old – brought in for £16.25million from Stuttgart on Friday – is the third oldest player to have been signed for a fee by the current owners following Rickie Lambert in 2014 and Ragnar Klavan two years later.

“I understand top clubs want young talent, but you know I just try to (say to myself) ‘this is the only chance you can move to Liverpool, because they always try to get younger players’,” says Endo. “But every team can get younger players, right, so yeah I got that chance, and I intend to take it.

“I heard that Liverpool wanted me, and it was so quick, I had to decide so quickly, but actually I couldn’t say no, because to play in the Premier League was always my dream. My agent called me, and it was a yes straight away that I wanted to come here. I decided immediately.”

Endo’s first opportunity at his new club came earlier than even he intended, brought on shortly after the hour of Saturday’s 3-1 home Premier League win over Bournemouth to help shore up a midfield from which the temporary number six, Alexis Mac Allister, had minutes earlier been dismissed in controversial fashion.

“It was so so quick, you know,” he says, speaking to a small group of reporters after the game. “At the beginning of the week I was getting ready to play in the Bundesliga, at the end of the week I am playing here at Anfield in front of all these fans – it is crazy. I didn’t have time to do any training, only one day, and so you know I tried to get ready as best I could.

“I am an experienced player, so I need to accept and deal with even this situation, so for me it was hard, but it was special for me. It was amazing to play here, great feeling, great atmosphere, to warm up and the fans were chanting my name, Endo, they made such a special atmosphere, and I am so happy to play at Anfield.

“A lot of my friends and family are watching but not here, because there was not time for anyone to get here – I just said goodbye to my family, and come here. There weren’t even any Japanese journalists who could get here!

“Jurgen Klopp didn’t say a lot to me before I went on, he just said play like I did in Bundesliga, and try to do it like I have always done it, which I did, I think.”

For Endo, it didn’t take long for the unique nature of the Premier League midfield skirmish to become apparent. “Physically it was more difficult than the Bundesliga,” he says. “Premier League teams have individually some very strong players, and so there is a big difference, and also the tempo is a bit different, it is faster. In the Bundesliga nobody has time to take too many touches, but here I have to play one-touch football, for example.

“And yeah, I need to change the mindset, and have to see where the opponents are coming if I want to play as a number six here.”

Endo will have to be a quick learner. With Mac Allister now suspended and Stefan Bajcetic having only just returned to bench duty, the Japanese is in line for a full debut when Liverpool travel to Newcastle United next Sunday.

And he adds: “I think I need to keep working hard – I need time to do it better, to adapt to the physicality. For me it is a great step (to play at Liverpool), and I have to get ready for the next game.”