Liverpool insist they have no desire to get into a club vs country row over Joël Matip’s availability for Cameroon and only want to support the player’s own decision not to go to the Africa Cup of Nations.

The club are resigned to losing Sadio Mané to Senegal’s involvement in the tournament this month, but understood the situation with Matip was different. He has not played for Cameroon in more than a year after a disagreement with the national team, while still a Schalke player, and said as long ago as September that he did not wish to be considered for the Africa Cup of Nations.

Liverpool actually thought Matip had retired from international football, but if so the Cameroon coach Hugo Broos did not appear to get the message and named him in his squad. The German‑born defender still has no intention of joining Cameroon in Gabon but Broos has indicated he may ask Fifa to invoke sanctions. If the ruling body suspects Liverpool of influencing the player’s decision or preventing him from joining up – something the club are adamant is far from the case – they could prevent him playing domestic games for the duration of the tournament.

Matip has been on the sidelines over the festive period with an ankle injury but Liverpool expect him to be ready for a return soon. They would be surprised were Fifa to take action against the player, for they were under the impression that Cameroon had accepted the fact of his retirement some time ago.

Speaking on the subject last month Jürgen Klopp said he was relaxed about the situation. “The players make these decisions by themselves, there is nothing the club can do,” the Liverpool manager said.

The West Bromwich Albion right-back Allan Nyom also told Broos he wanted to stay at the Hawthorns to keep his place in Tony Pulis’s side.