Arne Slot finds £16m SOLUTION to right-back problem

If Virgil van Dijk is complementing your defensive abilities then you’re doing something right.

The Liverpool captain is widely thought of as one of the best centre-backs the Premier League has ever seen and so he knows a thing or two about doing things properly.

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Van Dijk was effusive in his praise for one piece of defensive action on Wednesday night. Liverpool were again under pressure late in the game against Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes.

PSG were pushing for a goal in a game eventually won by a single Harvey Elliott goal to nil.

And after Marquinhos aimed one high ball towards Liverpool’s area, the player in the Reds’ right-back slot coolly chested the ball in the direction of goalkeeper and man of the match Alisson.

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Van Dijk immediately lifted his hands over his head and gave a round of applause to Trent Alexander-Arnold. No, wait a minute, it wasn’t Alexander-Arnold. It was… Wataru Endo?

Yes. Wataru Endo.

Endo's impressive cameo

During his 11-minute cameo in the French capital, Endo was brought on to shore up the result but did much more than that. He endeared himself even further to the Liverpool support, delivering an all-action, fire-fighting performance that contributed hugely to the positive result on the night.

And he did it, largely, from a right-back station.

The first significant action he saw was when Endo raced across the pitch to smash up Joao Neves and dispossess the PSG midfielder.

At right-back he did just as good a job as Alexander-Arnold - if not better - at containing the PSG wing threat. On a couple of occasions he either got the ball out for a corner or dispossessed Desire Doue, who was looking dangerous late in the piece.

It should come as no surprise to Liverpool fans as Endo revealed when he joined the club from Stuttgart in 2023 that he, in fact, used to play the position in his youth.

“When I started playing football, I played No.9 and I scored a lot!,” he said.

“It’s common in Japan, most of the Japanese football players, if you asked them which position you were when you grew up, almost everyone was a No.9. It’s very common, it often happens with Japanese players, and I was also a No.9.

“Then, after that I started playing almost every position: full-back, No.10, No.8, right-back and No.6. Then I moved to Sint-Truiden in Belgium and I started to play as a No.6 since then. I have played a lot of positions.”

Endo winning over Slot

Endo has not only been winning the love of Reds’ fans but it looks like he is increasingly winning the trust of Arne Slot too.

A bit-part player in summer, it was even suggested the Japan captain could be sacrificed in the transfer window.

He was getting a minute here and there but in recent times the duration of his appearances has increased. The 31-year-old is also a mainstay of Liverpool’s cup teams, although he played no part in the EFL Cup semi-final, second leg against Tottenham.

But he could earn his first Premier League start of the season this weekend against Southampton as Slot attempts to prepare for PSG again next week.

That is likely to be at the base of midfield, as a relief-pitcher for Ryan Gravenberch, but Endo has now demonstrated that he has the capability to fill in for either Alexander-Arnold or Conor Bradley on a temporary basis at least.

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With Jarell Quansah and Joe Gomez failing to impress there earlier this season, and with James McConnell and Tyler Morton faring no better, maybe it’s time for Slot to consider Endo as his £16m solution to a right-back shortfall.

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