West Ham United have been linked to the former Liverpool defender.
Joel Matip has reportedly been given a two-year contract with Liverpool’s Premier League opponents.
The centre-back is still without a club after leaving Liverpool at the end of his contract last season. Matip spent eight years with the Reds, cementing his place in club history. He made 201 appearances, scoring 11 goals and helping Jurgen Klopp’s team win seven major championships, including the Premier League and Champions League.
However, Matip’s ACL injury in December prevented him from playing in the remaining five months of his Liverpool career.
Since leaving Anfield, the 33-year-old has been linked with various clubs, including Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen. However, a Premier League return has been heavily suggested, with West Ham United cited as potential suitors.
In the waning moments of the summer transfer season, the Hammers permitted Kurt Zouma to join Saudi club Al-Orobah while also selling Thilo Kehrer to Monaco for £9.5 million.
Julen Lopetegui appears to be looking to expand his options, as he has also been connected with ex-Sheffield United centre-half John Egan. However, according to CaughtOffside, West Ham has offered Matip a contract that will run until 2026.
Liverpool will host the Hammers at Anfield on Wednesday, September 25, in the Carabao Cup third round. It remains to be seen whether Matip will join with the London outfit. However, if he does sign, it must be done quickly enough to offer him a chance to play against the Reds if he has overcome his knee injury.
Following Matip’s departure, former boss Klopp stated in a loving tribute: “A wonderful professional, a wonderful footballer, and a wonderful human being – we have been fortunate to have him with us for as long as we have, and now all we can do is wish him well as he embarks on a new adventure.”
“Joel’s skills as a player are obvious to all, and as a club, we have profited from them from the minute he signed. I don’t think he’s made many headlines throughout the years, but he’s always been a well-known person in our group.
“I’ve previously stated that if there was one guy who wouldn’t mind if he was undervalued, it would be Joel, but the truth is that we couldn’t have rated him higher. He has not only set standards for himself, but also for others, which is one of the primary reasons for his success here.”
