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Lucas Leiva has praised the role Wataru Endo has played in Liverpool's recent success.
Endo, who recently delivered a fresh hint on his Liverpool future, made a surprise move to Merseyside two years ago after the Reds agreed to a £16 million ($21.5 million) deal with German side Stuttgart.
Endo played more of a supporting role under Arne Slot last season, making many of his 32 appearances in all competitions from the bench.
But he always performed when called up, even featuring at center-back when the Reds were short in defence.
Endo's willingness to take a back seat last term helped Liverpool clinch the Premier League title, and he's expected to stay at Anfield this summer.
Lucas, who spent a decade playing holding midfield for Liverpool, appreciates the role Endo plays in Slot's roster.
Of course, last year he got less game time, but you could see that when he came on, he always played a big role."
Liverpool turned to Endo on the eve of the 2023-24 season after Moises Caicedo rejected the Reds to join Chelsea for a British record transfer fee
The experienced star had previously played for clubs in Japan and Belgium before joining Stuttgart in 2019.
Endo helped Stuttgart achieve promotion to the Bundesliga during his first season in Germany before ensuring the team stayed up over the next three years.
Considering Stuttgart narrowly avoided relegation in 2023 by winning a playoff against Hamburg, it's fair to assume no big clubs were looking at signing Endo
He added: "He (Endo) is what good teams are about.
"You know, it is not just the ones that play every game, play every minute, but the ones that maybe play less but play a big role.
"I really enjoy watching him play because he is a great player
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