Matip stance revealed as injured defender's contract ticks down towards expiry

Joel Matip wants to STAY at Liverpool beyond this season with his contract expiring this summer, according to a report, despite "increasing noise" that he won't be offered a new deal. 

The 32-year-old defender is a cult hero on Merseyside and has been instrumental in the multiple successes achieved under Jurgen Klopp. 

However, this season the Cameroon international has been blighted by injury.

He limped out of a Premier League thriller against Fulham back in December, with manager Jurgen Klopp later confirming that his centre back had suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament. 

That blow put Matip out for the rest of the campaign with Klopp turning to Jarell Quansah in the injury-enforced absences of both Matip and Ibrahima Konate. 

The question was asked of Klopp after the Matip injury whether the Reds would be in a position to offer their stricken defender a new deal. 

“I’m pretty sure the club will show their class, as you should do it,” he said at the time. 

However, Klopp is not going to be the decision maker at Anfield much longer, announcing in January that he would stand down at the end of this season. 

That in turn has led to uncertainty over the future of several stars, including Matip and Thiago Alcantara. 

Salah, Van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold contracts expiring in 2025

New sporting director Richard Hughes and FSG’s CEO of Football Michael Edwards have got a replacement for Klopp on their priority list but also need to tie up new deals for Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander Arnold, whose terms all expire in 2025. 

Before that is the matter of Matip and reports in France suggest that the Champions League winner wants to stay on Merseyside. 

That follows last week's news that Hughes was leaning towards NOT offering the defender fresh terms following the emergence of Quansah.

Matip has previously been linked with a return to the Bundesliga on a free transfer with Dino Toppmuller’s impressive Eintracht Frankfurt side emerging as candidates for his signature. 

Incidentially, Frankfurt boast young Ecuadorian Willian Pacho in the heart of their defence, a player the Reds have been linked with signing this summer. 

The ball is in Liverpool’s court.