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Liverpool are unlikely to lose defender Joel Matip to the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations in January as his self-imposed exile from the Cameroon squad continues.

The Reds centre-back has won 27 caps for the Indomitable Lions but hasn’t played for them over the past year with manager Hugo Broos saying he has repeatedly turned down the chance to represent them.

Cameroon have already qualified for the tournament which takes place in Gabon between January 14 and February 5. Liverpool attacker Sadio Mane is expected to miss a chunk of the Premier League season in order to feature for Senegal but as it stands Matip won’t be going with him.

Broos, who was appointed Cameroon boss in February, recently claimed that the 25-year-old had ignored messages he had left for him about a potential recall for the matches against Gambia and Gabon during the current international break.

Matip’s older brother Marvin, who plays in the Bundesliga for FC Ingolstadt 04, has also taken a step back from his duties with Cameroon.

“There are players who never wanted to come and play these games,” Broos said.

“They have their reasons but it also shows that if these people are not there it’s a good thing. It means they do not have the necessary will.

“I refer in particular to the Matip brothers. For Joel, I called him 15 times and I even sent him messages but he never responded. Marvin preferred to stay with his club.

“The ball is in their court. If they want to come play with Cameroon they should call me and say: ‘I am ready’.”

Matip was born in Germany but qualified to play for Cameroon through his father. He decided to commit to the African nation rather than the country of his birth in 2010. He went on to feature for them in both the 2010 and 2014 World Cups.