Liverpool just got a lot CLOSER to signing next Wataru Endo

Japanese players now have a cult status at Liverpool.

It took over 100 years for the Reds to sign a Japanese player when Takumi Minamino arrived at the club back in 2020. And in the space of three years, Liverpool didn't just bring in one but two players from the Asian country.

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Minamino was followed by Wataru Endo, who many supporters were not keen on when he was first brought in but who have since become a fan favourite.

Both Endo and Minamino will go down as cult figures. Both of them will have been involved in squads that have lifted the Premier League title.

Best of all, they were players who have always given their all and have been happy to play a peripheral role, maintaining exemplary attitude even when not playing.

This summer, Liverpool will play in their homeland with a pre-season trip to Japan. The club has confirmed that they will take on Yokohama F. Marinos in July.

Whether Endo will be involved remains to be seen. But regardless of what happens, the game should direct Liverpool towards their next signing from Japan.

Why Liverpool's pre-season will bring Riku Yamane deal closer

Coming up against Yokohama F. Marinos will see Liverpool get a taste of what it's like to play against the best young Japanese midfielder in the J.League at the moment in Riku Yamane.

Over the last few years, the J.League has produced so much exciting talent, most notably Kaoru Mitoma who has now taken the Premier League by storm.

Yamane is a 21-year-old midfielder who is following in Mitoma's footsteps and is definitely the next gem from the competition.

A diminutive holding midfielder, who can also play a little bit higher, Yamane has been performing to really high standards not just in the J.League but in the AFC Champions League as well.

Last summer in pre-season, he played against Manchester City and put in a superb performance showcasing his brilliant resistance to City's pressing, playing the ball out from the back with ice in his veins.

Yamane plays in the mould of Thiago. He very rarely loses possession of the ball and he's someone who can dictate the rhythm of the game from deep midfield lines.

Among midfielders in the J.League over the last calendar year, Yamane has the best pass completion rate (92.26%).

And he doesn't just play it safe. He will play passes into dangerous territories ranking in the top 15 midfielders for passes into the final third per 90 minutes (7.3).

He also has the best accuracy for passes into the final third (88.28%).

These kind of passing numbers will be music to Arne Slot's ears but Yamane isn't just a passer. He's a good defender as well. Among U21 midfielders, he has the best defensive duels success rate (65.5%) and ranks in the top 10 midfielders in the league for possession adjusted interceptions (6.62 per 90).

Like Mitoma once stood out in the J.League, Yamane has showcased over the last year he's ready for the next step.

A good performance against Liverpool will only confirm that and he has a brilliant chance to prove to the club's scouts he could be a genuine option.

Ian Graham, the club's former director of research once lamented in his book How to Win the Premier League that one of his biggest regrets was not signing Mitoma.

Liverpool won't want to regret that again with Yamane. He's the next Mitoma and he's ready to make a mark at a higher level.

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With the Reds putting in place multi-club plans, Yamane would be an ideal first transfer. Like Mitoma did at Brighton he could benefit from a loan spell before coming to the Premier League.

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