'My mate' - Wataru Endo makes surprise return visit after Liverpool move
Wataru Endo returned to VfB Stuttgart during the international break after making the summer move to Liverpool.
The 30-year-old captained Japan during the September interval as the Blue Samurai continued their impressive run. Wolfsburg played host to Germany manager Hansi Flick's final game as Japan inflicted a second disappointment, in a matter of months, with a 4-1 win over Die Mannschft.
Prior to meeting up with his Japanese compatriots, Endo made three appearances for Liverpool - two of which from the bench - as Jurgen Klopp's side finished strongly before the break, beating Aston Villa 3-0 to move into the top four.
Liverpool's move for Endo caused surprise initially, as they opted to delve into the German market after missing out on Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo in their hunt for a defensive midfielder. The pursuit of the VfB Stuttgart captain moved quickly and he was signed within days of interest initially coming to light.
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He got international clearance in time and was registered to play for the Reds in their 3-1 win over AFC Bournemouth. Endo was a second-half substitute as he was introduced to help see out the win after Alexis Mac Allister's red card reduced Liverpool to 10 men.
While Endo has been settling in at Anfield, his family have remained in Germany. On Tuesday, Stuttgart posted a video of the 30-year-old surprising his former teammates.
"It's actually quite busy but I had a good few weeks because I played three games and three wins," Endo said in an interview with Stuttgart's official club website.
"Of course it
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