Liverpool to sign Joel Matip

Liverpool will sign Schalke defender Joel Matip for free in the summer, after agreeing to a deal in principle for the Cameroonian centre-back.

Liverpool manager Klopp has been in the market for a defender, more so now with injuries to Martin Skrtel and Dejan Lovren.

Yesterday they completed a loan for QPR defender Steven Caulker, taking him from Southampton where he had initially signed a season-long deal.

But it is understood that Caulker’s move is strictly temporary, and when the season ends he will return to parent club QPR, understandable given that prior to his move for the 24 year old, Klopp had tried with Neven Subotic of former club Borussia Dortmund and Matip but both clubs were reluctant to do any business midseason, for fear of upsetting the balance of their teams.

Yet with Matip’s current deal expiring in the summer and no new deal signed, it appears that rather than pay a fee for him now, Liverpool will pick up the 24-year-old for free in the summer.

Schalke have insisted that the German-born defender, who has been in Gelsenkirchen since 2000, signs a new deal but he has put his foot down, confirming that he will leave when his deal expires in the summer as he seeks a new challenge elsewhere.

And it appears that Liverpool have answered his call with reports that Jurgen Klopp has tied him down with a pre-contractual agreement that will see him call Anfield home for the 2016/2017 season.

The cousin of former Middlesborough attacker Joseph Desire Job, Matip will be no stranger to English football and also has experience on the big stage having been part of Cameroon’s 2014 World Cup squad, where he scored against hosts Brazil.

A strong tackler, with considerable pace and presence given his 6’4 frame, Matip will add some much needed steel to Liverpool’s back line and could be paired with Mamadou Sakho, whilst Skrtel and Lovren are used as back up.