Liverpool defender Joel Matip’s contract expires in the summer after seven years with the club following his arrival from Schalke in 2016.
The Cameroonian’s style of play at Anfield isn’t the most visually appealing, but he’s become a fan favorite regardless. He may have scored a costly goal against the Spurs, but he is still well-liked.
Matip, another player who has been out by injury, has missed a total of 103 Liverpool games. In total, the 32-year-old has been injured 15 times in the last seven seasons.
What are the terms of Joel Matip’s contract?
Joel Matip’s contract with Liverpool expires in June 2024, making this his final season with the club.
The defender makes £140,000 per week, or £5.2 million per year, with the Reds, but he could depart shortly.
According to reports, the Merseysiders are planning to replace him in January or the summer at the latest.
According to sources, Liverpool intends to replace Matip.
Liverpool recently scouted Goncalo Inacio again, according to 90Min, after seeing his international exploits with Portugal over the break.
With Matip getting older and Jurgen Klopp revamping his team, it appears the German will prioritize a defensive overhaul next.
Virgil van Dijk is the Reds’ finest defender, but even he has been below par for quite some time.
Alisson Becker may be the only consistently good defensive player at Anfield.
Liverpool is investigating five players as Matip replacements
All of the defenders mentioned below have already been linked with a move to Liverpool.
In terms of centre-backs, Klopp requires players who can defend at a high level in 1v1 scenarios, are swift and strong in the air, and can play confidently from the back.
There aren’t many of these types of defenders available for reasonable costs, so it’s logical for a club like Liverpool to scan the football world for players who satisfy all of their requirements without breaking the budget.
First and foremost…
Inacio, Goncalo
The 22-year-old is a dynamic youngster who, thus far, appears to be Klopp’s most likely signing.
Although this could alter, the Portugal international has been heavily linked with a move to Anfield and was reportedly scouted again during the international break in October.
Inacio, who is six feet four and has great passing abilities, could be a fantastic fit for Klopp’s team, but he may be too expensive.
Sporting Lisbon’s star is worth roughly €70 million (£60 million) due to a release clause in his contract, making a Liverpool bid for him difficult.
Lucas Beraldo
Beraldo is a Brazilian midfielder who plays for Sao Paulo and is one of the players Liverpool has been tracking in Europe.
According to a recent rumor, Liverpool has scouted the teenager “a number of times.” The 19-year-old center-back is a rising star in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A.
Antonio Silva
Despite being the most intriguing player on this list, the Benfica star is unlikely to join the Reds.
Based on a story from last week, I recently addressed four difficulties with signing Silva. He, too, is only 19 years old and has a €120 million (£104 million) release clause in his contract.
Hincapie, Piero
The Ecuadorian was heavily connected with a move to Liverpool throughout the summer, but stories have since faded, with it recently being suggested that the Reds will not spend what it takes to sign him in January.
His agent said in early October that Liverpool were interested in signing the Bayer Leverkusen player, but their priority was to invest in midfield acquisitions.
They did so, adding four new midfielders, but according to a recent report, Liverpool will not spend more than £40 million to sign him.