Jurgen Klopp believes Ozan Kabak has justified Liverpool's move for him - and praised the defender's burgeoning partnership with Nat Phillips.
Kabak initially struggled after arriving on loan from Bundesliga side Schalke in February until the end of the season.
The 21-year-old has since struck up a promising relationship with Phillips at the heart of defence that has now played more minutes for Liverpool than any other centre-back pairing this campaign.
And Klopp, who will decide in the summer whether to make permanent a deal for Kabak, has hinted the duo will continue over the final seven Premier League games.
"It's how we always said," said the Reds boss. "Things have to develop, players have to get used to each other.
"There was never a question about the quality but then they have to bring it together and then it works. Especially in defending, it's like this.
"Ozan and Nat do really well. Hopefully it can stay like this, so they can play a lot of games. They have started seven games together, that is good. I'm really happy for them.
"Ozan came in at 20 from Germany, was a big prospect but wasn't lucky with the last two teams he played for, one went down (Stuttgart) and the other will probably go down (Schalke). But nobody really doubted his quality.
"Then coming here and making this big step and winning more games than before, it's really good for him that he can show that.
"We were convinced (of his quality) but in the end you never know, and he really proved that point."
Phillips spent last season on loan at Stuttgart in Germany and was close to leaving Liverpool in October.
And Klopp, speaking on Saturday ahead of Monday's Premier League trip to Leeds United, added: "Nat Phillips is just an exceptional career so far with all the things he has done in the past, what he thought about and where he was and all those things.
"Now he's playing for Liverpool in the Champions League and the Premier League, winning games, winning challenges, probably the best heading statistic in the history of the Premier League I could imagine, it's unbelievable what the boy is doing there!
"On top of that, playing good football, it's really nice. The start of one and the restart of another proper career for both."
