Neil Jones has named one Liverpool signing as the type of transfer that he’d like to see FSG replicate more frequently at Anfield.
The Reds brought in four midfielders last summer, three of whom were 24 or younger when they signed. The exception was Wataru Endo, who was 30 when he arrived from Stuttgart six months ago.
The Japan captain was an addition from left field after the lengthy and unsuccessful pursuits of Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, but he’s settled wonderfully on Merseyside and excelled in the 4-1 win at Brentford on Saturday.
Speaking to EOTK Insider, Jones highlighted the recruitment of a steady, reliable and experienced head like Endo as the kind of transfer that Liverpool should explore more often.
He said: “If I’ve had a complaint about Liverpool under Fenway’s tenure, and maybe before it, it’s that sometimes they don’t do these kinds of signings. There may not be seven or so years of incredible value in a player like Endo but it’s the sort of player that improves your squad straight away.
“I look around the Premier League and a lot of clubs have these kinds of players, like Christian Norgaard or Luka Milivojevic (formerly of Crystal Palace). They’re solid players.
“Liverpool don’t tend to have these kinds of players that aren’t unbelievable. They usually have the up-and-coming stars, project players or really established options. This was just a signing where the club went, ‘We need a midfielder who can do this, this and this, who’s available?’ Endo came up, he was 30 and they’ve brought him in.
“A very, very shrewd signing, especially when you consider he was signed because Liverpool couldn’t get either Moises Caicedo or Romeo Lavia. Look at the output that has come from those two players.
“Liverpool could have well been in a position where they spent £60m on Lavia and wouldn’t have been able to put him on the pitch, or they would have been able to but wouldn’t have been able to get any level of consistency from him because he’s so young.
“The level Liverpool have managed to get out of Endo in the last three or four months has been outstanding. I thought he was one of the best players on the pitch on Saturday, for sure!”
A 30-year-old defensive midfielder mightn’t have seemed the most exciting transfer for Liverpool to complete last August, but you’d be very hard pressed to find a Reds supporter now who’d argue that Endo hasn’t been a shrewd addition to Jurgen Klopp’s side.
For just £16m, we’ve got a dependable operator who adds an authority and feverish work rate in the middle of the park, while also chipping in with the occasional goal and – crucially considering how this season has gone for the first-team squad – reliable in terms of his fitness.
The Japan captain is the kind of player who almost always escapes the headlines but must be hugely appreciated by his manager and teammates for everything he contributes to the side overall.
Perhaps the success of Endo’s move to Anfield may convince FSG and the Liverpool powerbrokers to explore similar transfers more frequently in the future, even if it’s at odds with the more conventional pursuit of high-potential players aged 25 or under.