FIFA have confirmed that Liverpool have made contact over the selection saga of Joel Matip. The 25-year old has been named in Cameroon national team squad for the AFCON but he rejected the chance to take part in the tournament. Matip arrived from Schalke in this summer on a free transfer.
The defender hasn’t played for his national team since September 2015 and therefore considered himself ineligible for selection. Cameroon national coach Hugo Broos had claimed that the player didn’t pick up his phone after repeated phone calls. Cameroon, at last, decided not to include him in the final team.
Matip didn’t feature in the last match against Manchester United as the Merseyside club were unsure about the selection of the player.
A FIFA rule states, “A player who has been called up by his association for one of its representative teams is, unless otherwise agreed by the relevant association, not entitled to play for the club with which he is registered during the period for which he has been released or should have been released pursuant to the provisions of this annexe, plus an additional period of five days.”
Matip’s future is hanging in balance and that isn’t a good sign for both Cameroon and Liverpool.
