Wataru Endo impressed Jurgen Klopp with his play in Liverpool’s 2-0 Premier League victory over Burnley.

Endo, who joined Liverpool from Stuttgart in the summer, had a sluggish start to his career, but he has grown into a vital player in defensive midfield, especially with Alexis Mac Allister out with a knee injury. Klopp appreciated Endo’s efforts since he is still a vital member of the team.

“I must admit, I really enjoyed his game. It’s unfortunate that after getting comfortable, he’s heading to the Asia Cup. That’s the reality. It’s alright. What a young man. What a teammate. Extremely crucial, but we have to play without him in January,” the German coach said in his Amazon Prime Video post-game commentary.

Following Liverpool’s forthcoming home match against Newcastle United, Wataru Endo is scheduled to depart in order to represent Japan in the Asia Cup. Endo’s departure from Liverpool will cause him to temporarily split ways with the club as he joins the national team for the Asia Cup final, which is set for February 10.

When Liverpool let all of their natural holding midfielders go in the summer, the position came to light in the media, but Klopp filled it with Endo. At Liverpool, the Japanese international has returned to his typical playing levels following a few below-average games by his standards.