Liverpool are looking into the possibility of arranging a private jet to allow Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah to attend the Confederation of African Football (CAF) awards just a day before the Merseyside derby, a source has told ESPN FC.
Mane and Salah, along with Borussia Dortmund's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, have been shortlisted for the African Player of the Year award, which will be presented at a ceremony in Accra, Ghana, on Jan. 4.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is prepared to sanction the trip and the duo's attendance at the CAF event is likely, but not certain at this stage, the source added.
Liverpool play Everton at Anfield in the third round of the FA Cup on Jan. 5 at 7:55 p.m. GMT and the hope is that Senegal international Mane and Egypt international Salah would both be able to feature in that encounter despite their 14-hour, 7000-mile round trip the day before.
Voting from head coaches, technical directors and captains of CAF's national teams, as well as a 10-person panel of media experts, will decide the recipient of the African Player of the Year award.
Salah was crowned BBC African Footballer of the Year earlier this month following an impressive year with Roma, Liverpool and the Egypt national team.