Liverpool manager Arne Slot said Luis Diaz was left out of the friendly defeat against AC Milan because of speculation surrounding a move for the Colombia forward.
The Premier League champions rejected a opening bid of £58m from Bayern Munich earlier this month for Diaz, whose contract expires in the summer of 2027.
While Slot said Darwin Nunez missed the game against Milan in Hong Kong with an injury, he confirmed Diaz was omitted "due to speculation on his future".
Liverpool have signed forwards Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike already this summer and are in pursuit of Newcastle United's Alexander Isak.