VfB Stuttgart sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth has lamented losing Wataru Endo to Liverpool last month.

The Japan international, 30, left VfB last month.

"Wataru is a player that we actually didn't want to let go," Wohlgemuth told BILD.

"To be honest, we didn't have Liverpool FC on our list as an interested party. We were informed by the player's advisors about Liverpool FC's interest a few hours before the offer was received.

"Wataru himself really wanted to take this step regardless of our offer to extend the contract. Because the facts were on the table, we had no choice but to agree to Jorg Schmadtke with our revised financial demands. In the end, we came to an agreement relatively quickly in the negotiations."