Free agent Joel Matip is said to favour joining an English club amidst interest from West Ham. The Cameroonian centre-back has not had a club since his contract expired at Liverpool earlier this summer but is now seemingly ready to get back into first-team action.
West Ham have struggled so far this season winning just one game under Julen Lopetegui while also keeping just a single clean sheet. This is after the club spent over £120 million in the transfer window, but their business doesn’t appear to be over.
Joel Matip keen to stay in England amidst West Ham’s interest
Matip was a great servant for Liverpool throughout his eight years at Anfield, although he did suffer his fair share of injuries. The defender is 34 years old, so those knocks and muscle injuries could become far more regular occurrences as the football calendar continues to be filled up.
The Hammers are already just three points above the drop zone having won one of their opening four league games. What is more worrying, is the fact they’ve shipped six goals in the Premier League, despite having £40 million Max Kilman at the heart of their defence.
According to reports, West Ham could soon be handed a defensive boost, with Matip keen to remain in the Premier League. However, the Hammers are not alone in their pursuit of the veteran defender with clubs in both England and Germany keen to secure his services.
Matip wants a longer contract
The same report claims that whoever signs Matip in the coming days or weeks will have to hand him a two-year deal and not a short-term one. This is what’s seemingly holding up the defender from landing a new club, his long-term contract demands.
It’s believed that the likes of Bournemouth and Fulham are interested in Matip’s services and experience, but he could have a tempting offer from abroad. Bundesliga champions and Champions League outfit, Bayer Leverkusen, are ready to move for the defender to aid their battle across several competitions this season.
Matip has 150 games worth of experience in the Premier League and won pretty much all you could during his time on Merseyside. The departure of Jurgen Klopp may have counted towards the decision not to renew his contract, but it would be huge for the defender to stay in England and land a longer-term deal.