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Endo, then the 30-year-old captain of Bundesliga strugglers Stuttgart, did not fit that criteria.

Fast forward two years and Endo is a Premier League champion and a Reds cult hero.

And before he’d even kicked a ball, many expected him to become the afterthought of Liverpool’s midfield rebuild that also saw Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, and later Ryan Gravenberch come through the door - three players who made an impression under Klopp before becoming the heartbeat of Arne Slot’s title-winners.

However, those in the know could see Endo’s potential as a Premier League surprise package.

Ego is not on issue for Endo, who on many occasions during his Liverpool tenure has emphasised the importance of team success over personal minutes.

Endo has become Liverpool’s safety net when crucial points are at risk of being forfeited, and his ability to stabilise the midfield and close out wins has been invaluable to the club’s title success.

While the plaudits have largely been reserved for his midfield colleagues in months gone by, with Gravenberch’s stunning transformation under Slot making up one of the stories of the season, Endo’s role in this Liverpool side cannot be discredited.

Slot’s side held on for the remainder, passing a serious test of their resolve in significant part thanks to Endo’s late-game presence.

Endo may have only racked up a total 157 Premier League minutes so far this season, but each of those have to been to visible effect.

If things went Liverpool’s way in August 2023, this chapter of Endo’s career would have never been written.

Endo’s transfer to Liverpool was a very happy accident (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Alas, on Sunday, he’ll be clapped onto the field as a Premier League champion.