1 year ago
198 Liverpool defender Joel Matip is now fully expected to leave the club next year when his contract expires.
Journalist James Pearce was speaking on the Walk On Podcast and discussing Liverpool’s current centre-back options.
Although all the focus this summer was on Liverpool’s midfield options, there were other areas of the squad that potentially needed attention.
Jurgen Klopp saw six central players leave and four more brought in to replace them.
Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have hit the ground running, while Ryan Gravenberch will be itching to make his debut.
The other position that Liverpool fans would have liked to have seen reinforcements and that was at centre-back.
Klopp has four senior defenders to choose from in that role although they’ve not got the best injury records.
Pearce has now said that Joel Matip will leave Liverpool when his contract runs out next summer.
The £100,000-a-week centre-back has been a fantastic servant to the Reds and the perfect partner for Virgil van Dijk.
However, his fitness has been a problem over several seasons and it’s not a surprise that Liverpool aren’t rushing to renew his contract.
Matip will leave Liverpool next summer
Speaking about the Cameroonian international, Pearce said: “The club also know that they need succession planning with Joel Matip out of contract next summer.
“I fully expect him to move on in 2024 so it’s just a case of what do you do.
“Do you sign someone in January who might potentially have six months to bed in before Matip leaves?
“Or, do you get through until May and then address it?
“And then of course next summer you’ve got the situation where [Virgil] Van Dijk will be down to his last year and there’ll be a decision to make there as well.”
Klopp has already introduced Jarell Quansah to the first team and he’s looked very solid during his short time in the squad.
However, a more experienced player needs to come in at Liverpool to replace Matip when it’s finally time for him to leave the club.
He’s closing in on 200 appearances for the Reds and has won everything there is to win with Liverpool.
The club will already be looking at potential replacements and it will be interesting to see if they make a move in January.
The post ‘Need succession planning’: Journalist says he ‘fully expects’ £100k-a-week Liverpool man to leave next year appeared first on The Boot Room.
