Liverpool confirm exit of long-serving defender at end of season

Liverpool have announced that one of their long-serving defenders will leave the club when his contract expires at the end of the season.

Former Cameroon international Joel Matip has been a loyal servant to the Reds for eight years, having left Schalke 04 to join Jurgen Klopp's side in the summer of 2016.

Since touching down at Anfield, the centre-back has become a key defensive cog for Liverpool and has won seven major trophies under Klopp, including the 2019 Champions League and 2020 Premier League.

Formerly Virgil van Dijk's first-choice partner, Matip has played 201 times for Liverpool, registering 11 goals and six assists, but he has been restricted to just 14 appearances in the 2023-24 campaign.

The 32-year-old's last game for the club came in December's 4-3 win over Fulham, where he picked up a season-ending ACL injury, although Klopp hinted at the time that he wanted Matip to be handed a new contract.

A brilliant player, a big character and forever a part of our history 🫶 pic.twitter.com/7SkCRwqatY

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 17, 2024

Joel Matip reflects on "eight wonderful years" at Liverpool

However, the Reds confirmed on Friday morning that the Cameroonian would be heading for the exit door when his deal runs out in June, meaning that he has already played his final match for the Merseyside giants.

Reflecting on his time at Anfield to the official Liverpool website, Matip said: "It has been eight wonderful years here in Liverpool. I was allowed to be part of an exciting history with a great coach and an astonishing team in an extraordinary club.

"We have achieved great titles and have the best fans in the world. I am full of gratitude for the wonderful time I was able to experience with these unique people supporting the club and the fans who love Liverpool FC.

"My wife and I have felt welcomed and supported from day one and together with the kids we had the best imaginable time here. We will always keep it in special memories."

Klopp: 'There are few players loved as much as Matip'

Across his eight-year spell at Liverpool, Matip has become a firm favourite among fans thanks to his defensive abilities and on-the-ball prowess, making some trademark surging runs forward from inside his own half.

© Reuters

Klopp, who will also be bidding farewell to Liverpool this summer, believes that few players are as adored as the former Schalke centre-back, adding: "In all the years that I have been involved in football, I am not sure I have come across too many players who are more loved than Joel Matip. I'm not even sure it would be possible to say anything bad about him.

"A wonderful professional, a wonderful footballer and a wonderful human being – we have been blessed to have him with us for as long as we have and now all we can do is wish him well as he heads off in a new direction.

"Joel's qualities as a player are there for all to see and as a club we have benefited from them since the first moment that he joined. I don't think he has had too many headlines over the years but he has only ever been a very famous figure within our group.

"I have said before that if there was one person who wouldn't care if he was underrated it would be Joel, but the truth is we could not have rated him more highly. Not only has he set the standards for himself, he has set them for others and this is one of the main reasons why his time here has been so successful. We wish Joel and his family the very best for the future."

Matip will not be able to enjoy an on-field Anfield farewell due to his ACL injury, but tributes should be paid to the 32-year-old before or after Sunday's closing Premier League contest with Wolverhampton Wanderers.