Liverpoo will continue to rely on Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez and Jarell Quansah in Matip’s absence.
Joel Matip has won his fair share of plaudits over the years amid some solid displays for Liverpool in the past – but the Reds won’t be able to count on his expertise as we head into a frantic title battle, with the Cameroon international out injured until the end of the season, according to Jurgen Klopp.
Matip joined the Anfield outfit back in 2016 on a free transfer from then-Bundesliga outfit Schalke as a 24-year-old, and immediately became part of the Reds’ side with a series of displays that allowed the club to qualify for the Champions League in 2017. Injury-stricken years throughout 2019 and 2021 saw Matip on the fringes of the first-team, but he has roared back since and overall, has made 201 appearances for the club – scoring 11 goals and winning six trophies so far in the process.
A dependable member of Klopp’s first-team, Matip’s contract is up at the end of the season and it appears that if he won’t be able to get himself fit, he may have played his last game in a Liverpool shirt some time ago – and that looks to be the case, with Klopp admitting that whilst he is recovering he doesn’t think the current season is long enough for him to make a return to action in any capacity despite the possibility of a Europa League final on May 22.
Speaking ahead of their clash against Sheffield United at Anfield on Thursday, Klopp said the injury was extremely painful for Matip in the beginning – and that he might have overdone his season at Anfield.
Klopp said:“Joel’s running. He hates that but he’s able to run again, that’s good. “I think since he got injured this is the best moment because it was very painful in the beginning, very painful for him.
“He got through that and now it’s pain free, but that all takes time. I don’t think the season is long enough for him.”
With Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Jarell Quansah all fight and ready to battle for Liverpool in the title race, there is less need for Matip to be racing back to fitness – and that could signal the end of a loving relationship between the Germany-born star and the Kop End.
Why Joel Matip’s Injury May Not Be Entirely Bad News
Liverpool are blessed with a good crop of centre-backs and Matip may not be missed too much
Eventually, senior players become veteran players and a drop off in ability naturally begins to occur. Liverpool needn’t worry too much that Matip’s £140,000-a-week contract is set to expire – and that is due to the young crop of centre-backs that they have in their ranks at present.
Ibrahima Konate is arguably the best of the trio of himself, Gomez and Quansah. A part of the France setup, Konate has 14 caps for his nation – which offers strong competition in those areas with the likes of Dayot Upamecano, Presnel Kimpembe, William Saliba and more – and the 24-year-old become a larger part of the Liverpool set up as time has gone on.
Gomez has been at the club for the majority of his professional career and has fully settled into the picture, able to play anywhere across the back four and that is evidenced by his 215 appearances for the club, whilst Quansah has been the club’s surprise package of the season, slotting easily into the Reds’ back four with cultured displays, and certainly not the poise of a player who spent last season on loan in England’s third-tier.
With the trio all aged 26 or under, it is perhaps the right time for Matip to move on – but without being able to play one final game for the Reds, he will be vying to earn that chance.
