Sadio Mane will fly to Ghana 24 hours before Friday’s FA Cup Merseyside derby against Everton with manager Jurgen Klopp’s full backing.
The Senegal international will travel with Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah as both are on the shortlist for the Confederation of African Football’s player of the year award.
Klopp has said will not prevent him from travelling to Africa.
“Sadio is unbelievably important for us,” Klopp said. “He is strong, quick, so many things. He scores a goal like this and it is like, ‘Wow.’
“We have everything organised. We have two of the three best African players in our squad. We have to show them respect.
“If it had been a matchday they wouldn’t have asked. We sleep in a hotel, they sleep in a plane. That is all the difference.
“If Mo is not fit, it will not be for that [travelling]. For our side, it is just a sign of respect. I had [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang [at Borussia Dortmund] and there is nothing more important than to go there.”
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