Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp hopes a decision is approaching on whether Cameroonian shield Joel Matip can resume playing for the Premier League club.
Liverpool have reached world governing body FIFA for illumination over Matip’s situation after he was rung for African Nations Cup obligation despite resigning from global football in 2015.
FIFA rules state that a player who refuses a universal ring can’t play for their club side. “We don’t have an update. FIFA mentioned to us this 9(Friday) would be kind of D-Day,” Klopp told reporters on Friday.
“It’s difficult because there is not a lot of training time. But I had to put me out of this case because I have to be concentrated on other things. There’s no news on it until now.”
Cameroon have not asked FIFA to stop Matip playing for Liverpool amid the Nations Cup yet have not given them permission to play him either.
They are probably not going to give freedom because that would cause a clamor in Cameroon where eight players turned down call-ups for the finals in Gabon.
Klopp, whose side face base club Swansea City on Saturday, was incredulous of FIFA’s decision to extend the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams and the governing body’s specialized chief Marco van Basten who has suggested scrapping the offside law.
“My opinion is this wonderful game that we all love doesn’t need rule changes,” Klopp said.
“What we are doing, with the world championship changes, puts the game in danger. They try to squeeze everything out of it but I don’t think they care about the future of football.
“(Marco van Basten) can create another game. There are enough pitches around the world,” Klopp added.
Klopp is confident that Nathaniel Clyne and midfielder Jordan Henderson will be accessible.
Clyne missed Liverpool’s last two matches with a rib damage while Henderson sat out the FA Cup replay with Plymouth Argyle in the week as a safeguard in the wake of recouping from a heel harm.
