Liverpool defender Sami Hyypia has admitted he faces an uncertain future at Anfield after being left out of the clubās 25-man Champions League squad.
New Uefa regulations mean clubs have to include at least eight home-grown players in their squad.
The 34-year-old Finn said: "The managerās decision to leave me out of the squad is a big disappointment.
āI understand itās partly because of the Uefa regulations, but the news came as a surprise to me and a shock too.ā
The Finland international was subject to a bid from Stoke City during the summer, but Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez wanted to keep hold of him.
Hyypia, who has made 446 appearances for the Reds since signing from Dutch club Willem II in May 1999, hopes he still has a future on Merseyside but admits that had he known about Benitezās decision earlier, he might be playing his football elsewhere this season.
āThe club had a āperfectā timing for this,ā he added.
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Disappointing for him but I believe he still has a chance
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"They didnāt want me to move elsewhere, so thatās why I was told the news of having been left out, just after the transfer window had closed.
"The club went public to say there had been offers for me, but turned them down. So perhaps that means I am still part of the plans for this season.
āI donāt know if I would have wanted to move on had I heard news about the squad when the window was still open.ā
Uefa rules state that four players in the 25-man party must be produced by the clubās own academy, while four others can be produced by an English academy.
Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Jay Spearing and Stephen Darby make up the contingent from Liverpool, while Robbie Keane, Jermaine Pennant, Steven Irwin and Martin Kelly are the other four.
Liverpool begin their Champions League campaign away at Marseille on 16 September and will also face PSV Eindhoven and Atletico Madrid in a tough group.
Should they progress beyond the group stages, clubs can submit a revised squad list prior to the knockout rounds in the new year.