The good news for Liverpool supporters is that Joel Matip has reportedly returned to training ahead of this weekend’s Premier League clash against West Ham United, but the bad news is that they could lose the defender to the Africa Cup of Nations in January.
The 25-year-old has not represented Cameroon since 2015, and he was widely expected to stay with the Reds rather than play a part in the tournament, which kicks off in Gabon on January 14.
However, manager Hugo Broos has told Belgium’s Voetbal Magazine that he has been given an indication that Matip could change his mind and leave Anfield, alongside his teammate Sadio Mane, who will represent Senegal.
“When I took over as coach I went to see him in Gelsenkirchen and ask him to return to the team, but he said to me ‘nothing is organised properly in Cameroon’,” Broos told the publication.
“I asked him to give me a chance to prove that we could do it better but he was not convinced. But in the meantime I’ve heard that he is now prepared to make a comeback and so I am going to go and see him again.”
If Matip does temporarily leave the Reds during the winter period, it could prove to be detrimental to Liverpool’s season, as his absence was hugely felt during last weekend’s Premier League match against Bournemouth.
The defender missed the match due to a minor ankle strain, and Jurgen Klopp’s side struggled as they let a 3-1 lead slip to record a 4-3 defeat at the Vitality Stadium.
Goalkeeper Loris Karius was heavily criticised for his error-strewn performance, but the centre-back pairing of Dejan Lovren and Lucas Leiva – traditionally a midfielder – posed its own issues down on the South Coast.
The Daily Mail reports that Matip took part in training during Liverpool’s two-day visit to Barcelona, which suggests that he could play against the Hammers this Sunday, but fans have been quick to express concern over the defender’s impending absence.
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