Jurgen Klopp, as ever, was refusing to give anything away where Gini Wijnaldum was concerned.
Prompted by two different questions in his Friday press conference, the Liverpool boss gave little indication as to what will happen next for the out-of-contract midfielder.
"We will see about all these things Sunday or the time after that," Klopp said. "Nothing else to say."
Klopp's decision to play the straight bat comes as no surprise by now.
After all, this is the manager who back in September was refusing to discuss the imminent arrival of Thiago Alcantara mere minutes before his official confirmation.
It was only when he learned that his words would not be published until later that evening - after Thiago's arrival had been rubber-stamped - did Klopp yield and open up on his new £25million signing.
So his nothing-to-see-here stance is understandable and in-keeping with his usual way of dealing with such speculation.
By now, though, there can be little doubt that Wijnaldum is into the final days of his five-year tenure at Liverpool.
Barring an unlikely contract extension, the former Newcastle star will leave England this year, despite his admission back in March that it would 'devastate' him to do so.
"It would be really difficult [to leave] because if that happens, you will leave a team who you really love, who you have shared a lot of years together with and where you feel really comfortable," Wijnaldum said.
"I will be devastated that I am not going to play for this team anymore for sure."
As one of the original pillars upon which Klopp's success has been built at Anfield, Wijnaldum's importance and influence is as profound as ever.
Heading into what many expect to be the final game of a decorated Liverpool career, he will do so as the captain when Crystal Palace are entertained on Sunday afternoon.
It will surely be Wijnaldum's 237th and final appearance for the Reds.
And whatever happens next for the Holland international, he will leave as a modern-day great.
Signed from Newcastle in July 2016, only Joel Matip and Sadio Mane pre-date Wijnaldum as far as Klopp signings go.
There have been more transformative and eye-catching arrivals since, but his tactical flexibility, excellent injury record and selfless attitude have been key factors behind the success that has arrived over the past two years.
Alongside what is almost the perfect skillset to thrive in a Klopp midfield, he has also been known to weigh in with an important goal or two.
His second-half cameo against Barcelona two years ago will never be forgotten, but his contributions in front of goal against Manchester City, Middlesbrough and Sheffield United, to name just three, have all been sizable too since 2016.
It is understood the Dutchman has yet to inform the club of his next decision, but given the dwindling days on his contract, he is no longer obliged to do that.
The writing is very much already on the wall.
His agent's recent come-and-get-me plea to Bayern Munich was ominous and a 30-year-old Champions League regular will be in demand as a free agent this summer, even more so given the financial restraints almost every club will be operating in.
But while his exit is now something of an open secret, what is less widely known is what happens to the makeup of Liverpool's midfield after his departure.
There's a school of thought that suggests his replacement has already been signed in the form of Thiago.
With speculation around Wijnaldum's future at an intense level last summer, talk of Barcelona's interest was at its highest.
Thiago's arrival left Liverpool well stocked as he became the club's eighth central midfielder alongside Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita, Curtis Jones and Wijnaldum himself.
The addition of Thiago was something of an opportunistic one given his contractual issues at Bayern and a desire for a new challenge.
His signature was likely to have been secured regardless of Wijnaldum's fate last year.
The question now is whether Liverpool feel they have enough in reserve to compensate for the loss of a player whose appearance on Sunday will be his 51st of the season.
Injury problems for the likes of Oxlade-Chamberlain and Keita, in particular, may be enough to tilt the weight of opinion towards the need for another midfielder for those that matter at Anfield.
Whoever that may be, however, remains a mystery.
Qualification to the Champions League will afford Liverpool more scope for selection when assessing the merits of Wijnaldum's would-be replacements, at least.
And as a true fan-favourite of the Klopp era gets set to say his goodbyes this weekend, it is fitting that Wijnaldum does so with the sound of one of the most catchy terrace anthems in recent years serenading him.
The 10,000 in attendance will at least make sure of that.
