VfB Stuttgart have tied down Wataru Endo with the early extension of his contract until 2024. The Japanese midfielder joined the Bad Cannstatt club from Belgian top-flight team Sint-Truiden in August 2019, initially on a season-long loan.
The 27-year-old made his full debut almost exactly a year ago in the 3-0 derby win over Karlsruher SC, and hasn’t looked back since. Apart from a one-match suspension last season, Endo has not missed a single minute of competitive action, registering 21 Bundesliga 2 appearances, two in the DFB Cup and eight in the Bundesliga so far this season. Endo has also been the toughest-tackling player in the top flight this term, winning 133 duels.
Sporting director Sven Mislintat:
“With his technical qualities but also his mentality and professional attitude, Wataru is a leading player in every sense of the word. He’s committed to VfB, to our path and to the way we want to play football. We’re therefore delighted to have extended his contract early and we thank Wataru for his trust.”
Wataru Endo:
“I’m very happy about the contract extension and I’m looking forward to more years with VfB Stuttgart. I feel very happy here and I want to do my bit to help us achieve our goals.”