Liverpool have contacted world governing body FIFA for clarification over Matip’s situation after he was called up for African Nations Cup duty despite retiring from international football in 2015.

FIFA rules state that a player who refuses an international call-up cannot 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 during the Nations Cup but have not given them permission to play him either.

They are unlikely to give clearance because that would cause an outcry in Cameroon where eight players turned down call-ups for the finals in Gabon.

Klopp, whose side face bottom club Swansea City on Saturday, was critical of FIFA’s decision to expand the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams and the governing body’s technical director 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.

Liverpool can cut Chelsea’s lead to four points with victory over Swansea as Chelsea are not in action until Sunday.

Klopp is hopeful that defender Nathaniel Clyne and midfielder Jordan Henderson will be available.

Clyne missed Liverpool’s last two matches with a rib injury while Henderson sat out the FA Cup replay with Plymouth Argyle in the week as a precaution after recovering from a heel injury.

“All in a good way. Clyney and Hendo were not in team training until now, but should be back today,” Klopp said.

(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Ed Osmond)

0 votes