PHOTO: Mo Salah provides update on long-term injured Liverpool 'legend'

Mo Salah gave fans a small window into Joel Matip's injury recovery, sharing a photo of the defender in the gym as he continues his rehabilitation.

With many of Liverpool's first team suffering some sort of fitness issue during an injury-hit campaign, Matip's has been the most serious.

After a strong start to the season, the 32-year-old defender ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in December, during the 4-3 win over Fulham.

He underwent successful surgery shortly after but is expected to miss the rest of the 2023/24 campaign as he continues on the slow road towards full recovery.

With Matip's contract due to expire this summer, there are fears that the popular defender's 201st competitive game for Liverpool in all competitions was also his last.

Little has been seen or heard of Matip in recent weeks. While an injury-depleted Reds side fight on in search of an unprecedented quadruple in Jurgen Klopp's final season, the former Cameroon international still several months away from the possibility of rejoining team activities.

However, Salah shared a small update on Matip's progress and a reminder of the big man's presence at the club.

Posting on Instagram stories, Salah shared a pic showing Matip in the gym at Liverpool's AXA Training Centre, alongside the caption "The Legend is always working".

What next for Matip?

While the decision will ultimately not be Klopp's to make, the departing manager has hinted that Matip could yet be offered a contract extension at Liverpool.

Klopp said of the former Schalke centre back's situation: "I’m pretty sure the club will show their class, as you should do it.

“I would say so [there's a chance of a new deal], but it’s not my decision in the end. I cannot sign the papers."

Prior to his injury, Matip made 14 appearances in 2023/24, including nine starts in the Premier League.

Other than Liverpool, he has only ever played for Schalke at senior level. When asked about his future beyond the current campaign last year, the defender told Sky Germany that he would be 'happy' to end his career without signing for another club.

He said: “I try to make the most of every day and don’t look too far ahead. If in the end it was just these two clubs, I would be perfectly happy. But in football you never know for sure.”