Wataru Endo admits he wants to remain at Liverpool as he prepares to jet off on Asia Cup duty.
The midfielder will lead Japan's charge for continental glory but, as a result, will be unavailable for the Reds for up to a month. He and Mohamed Salah have both got international duties to stick by as Liverpool fight on four fronts, with their resources tested a result.
Endo was a summer signing, part of the squad's midfield overhaul, and has begun impressing at the base of midfield. He's been a standout for Liverpool throughout December, featuring in nine successive league games, and would like to remain but is confident the team can power on in his absence with Alexis Mac Allister returning to fill the void.
He said: “Naturally of course I want to stay here. But to play as a national team player is also an important thing for me because I'm captain. I want to have good results at the Asian Cup, but I know that will mean I have to stay longer in Qatar. But Macca (Alexis Mac Allister) has come back from injury now so I’m confident that Liverpool can do well without me and Mo (Salah).”
Endo, unlike Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, was not an immediate hit at Anfield with his best performances coming after several months. The Japanese star admitted it was time to begin proving his worth with consistent minutes key to his form of late.
He added: “I needed to show why I came here and I think I’ve played better than before. We are top of the table and I feel that I did my job. The most important thing for me is the rhythm of playing. I’ve adjusted to the pace and I’m enjoying the fight. Confidence is a big thing also.
"The manager has shown a lot of faith in me. The other players know me better now. It was the toughest Christmas and New Year in my life but I love playing football."
Klopp has recently hailed Endo's contributions and was more than content to be patient with the former Stuttgart star. His qualities have stood out with few of his team-mates possessing his skill set
The Reds boss said: "He gives something different to the team, we have to say, that’s clear. He’s the one for the tackles. We don’t have now 20 players on the pitch who have tackling as a hobby. He is doing it. On top of that, his passing is really good, his awareness is really good, he finds his position better in possession, all these things. It’s football and sometimes it takes a little bit of time but that’s no problem for me.”