Joel Matip, the former Cameroon defender who joined Liverpool after leaving Schalke at the end of his contract in July 2016, is 32 years old and looks past the prime of his career and will likely leave Anfield on a free transfer at the end of this season.
The team is expected to move to secure a new center back, although the emergence of Jarell Quansah and the resurgence of Joe Gomez are all favorable factors. And Liverpool are interested in Crystal Palace defender Marc Guéhi, a hot commodity this summer, according to international media outlet Telegraph Sport.
Since joining from Chelsea for £18 million in the summer of 2021, Guéhi has continued to produce some of Palace’s most impressive performances, making his debut for England in 2022. The player is increasingly valued, but is expected to demand a transfer fee of more than £50 million, surpassing Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s club-record fee.
Manchester United is also keen on the 23-year-old center back, who was once of interest to Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. However, a transfer deal is unlikely to materialize unless Dan Ashworth is appointed as sporting director.
He has played more than 100 games for Crystal Palace and missed the most recent game due to a knee injury. He will need surgery and could miss up to eight weeks, but is expected to be ready in time for the European Championships this summer, where he could be called up as a Three Lions.
The England defender, who could further enhance his reputation, will he step up in the Premier League along with Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze, who have also been heavily rumored to be leaving the club…?