Jurgen Klopp has admitted it is “a shame” that Wataru Endo will depart for the Asian Cup imminently after finally finding his feet at Liverpool.
The Japan international, 30, joined the Reds from Stuttgart in the summer and was initially eased into life at Anfield by Klopp, who used him sparingly in the Premier League at the start of the season.
After starting the Reds’ last five league matches, Endo has begun to show why Klopp strayed from the club’s transfer policy to sign him – but he will be unavailable sooner rather than later.
While the likes of Mohamed Salah will jet off to the Africa Cup of Nations in January, Endo will also link up with his country in order to compete in the Asian Cup. Speaking after the Boxing Day win over Burnley, Klopp stressed Liverpool will miss his influence.
He said of Endo: “I loved this game, I have to say. It’s a bit of a shame how he found his feet and now he goes to the Asian Cup but that’s how it is, it’s fine. What a boy and what a player and very important.
“At least in January we have to play more or less without him but against Newcastle he is still here. Then the boys leave and then we have to find another way and we will. But for the moment, I am really happy for him. It took him a little bit [of time] that he really showed how good he really is, but now we can see it and I’m really happy about that.”
Klopp had previously insisted that comments he made about Endo’s slow start to life in England were misunderstood. He initially claimed the fact that Endo is “very calm and polite” had “cost him” prior to September’s Carabao Cup victory over Leicester.
Klopp was keen to clear things up, explaining: “I was not surprised [by his performance]. I was not too happy how I described the situation [with his previous comments on Endo]. I am not a native speaker. Dom and Macca have just stepped in and clicked. If we don’t give people time anymore what world is this? Endo is a top guy.
“All the attention was on Dominik [Szoboszlai’s] goal but the pass was just as good. A top, top pass. Passes we missed in the past, that is the truth. Endo is in a good way and I am really happy for him to show it in the second half.”
