Cameroon has not asked FIFA to stop defender Joel Matip from playing for Liverpool during the Africa Cup of Nations period, but neither have they given the Premier League club the green light to field the player, Reuters reports Cameroonian officials to say.
The country’s football federation FECAFOOT is said to be undecided on what to do because giving Liverpool the clearance to use Matip may cause an uproar in Cameroon where eight players turned down call-ups for the month-long tournament in Gabon.
Liverpool on the other hand are consulting their lawyers before making any decision on whether to play the defender or not.
Matip was left out of the squad for Sunday’s 1-1 Premier League draw at Manchester United and Wednesday’s FA Cup third-round replay away to fourth-tier Plymouth Argyle because world governing body FIFA had not confirmed he was eligible.
The Indomitable Lions drew their first AFCON 2017 game against Burkina Faso, a match they dominated.
They play their second game today against Guinea Bissau.
