Liverpool have reportedly agreed a surprise deal to sign Stuttgart and Japan midfielder Wataru Endo.
The Reds have been working overtime to find a new number six since Fabinho joined the Liverpool midfield exodus in a £40m move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad.
Both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia were wanted by the Anfield board, and the Reds agreed a £110m deal for the former before Chelsea swooped in with a successful £115m offer.
Liverpool subsequently turned their attention to Southampton's £50m-rated teenager Lavia and belatedly had a fee accepted by the Saints, but Chelsea proved to be the thorn in their side once more.
Lavia has supposedly chosen to join the Blues over Jurgen Klopp's side, who have hastily drawn up a list of alternative options to the Stamford Bridge-bound duo in the past couple of days.
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Crystal Palace's Cheick Doucoure and Fulham's Joao Palhinha had been linked with moves to Anfield, but according to Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool will instead bring Endo to the club.
The 30-year-old has fewer than 12 months left to run on his contract with the Bundesliga side, who have unsuccessfully tried to tie him down to fresh terms and have given him permission to travel to Merseyside.
Liverpool are expected to pay around €18m (£15.4m) for Endo, who has already agreed personal terms with the Reds and will undergo his medical on Thursday.
Endo is believed to have been dreaming of a move to Liverpool as he prepares to leave Stuttgart following a five-year spell, having joined from Belgian side Sint-Truiden in 2019.
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The 1993-born midfielder - who serves as Stuttgart's captain - has scored 15 goals and set up 12 more in 133 matches for the club, largely operating as a defensive midfielder.
Endo - who has also been deployed as a centre-back during his career - netted six goals and set up five more in 40 games for the club last term, and he scored in Stuttgart's 4-0 DFB-Pokal first-round win over TSG Balingen last Saturday.
A 50-cap Japan international, Endo has represented his nation at two World Cups and helped the Samurai Blue reach the last 16 of the Qatar tournament in 2022.
The former Urawa Reds youngster will become Liverpool's third signing of the summer after Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister and could potentially be registered in time to make his debut against Bournemouth on Saturday.
Ben Knapton
