08 December 2023 , 12:23
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Jurgen Klopp has urged Liverpool to “show their class” by handing Joel Matip a new contract after the defender suffered a serious knee injury.
Matip has been ruled out for the season after suffering an injury to his anterior cruciate ligament in the 4-3 win over Fulham last weekend. The 32-year-old defender has been with Liverpool since 2016 but could have played his last game for the club, given his contract is due to expire in June.
He has been a key player for Klopp, making 201 appearances in central defence and providing a reliable centre-back partner for Virgil van Dijk. And the German manager thinks that his years of service for the club should afford him some generosity from Liverpool while he undergoes rehabilitation.
“I’m pretty sure the club will show their class, just how they should do,” Klopp said in a press conference ahead of a trip to face Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday. “I’m pretty sure the club told Joel already that whatever happens so long as he is injured. Now we have to make decisions together with Joel, how it looks after that. That’s a normal thing to do. But yes he deserves all the support from us and he will get it.
Asked if that meant the club would give him a new contract, Klopp replied: “I would say so but it’s not my decision in the end. I cannot sign the paper.”
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Matip’s injury has left Klopp with four central defenders to call upon in Van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez and Jarell Quansah amid a very busy period of fixtures. His absence has opened up the possibility of Liverpool signing a centre-back in the January transfer window.
Mirror Football understands that Wolfsburg defender Maxence Lacroix is on their radar, along with Palace star Marc Guehi. Lacroix, a highly-rated 23-year-old, would cost north of £25million and Klopp played down the possibility of making a big-money move mid-season.
Joel Matip has a serious knee injury (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) HAVE YOUR SAY! Should Liverpool give Joel Matip a new contract? Comment below.
"Tell me a club who wants to sell a top centre-half,” he said. "We know that Joel will be out for a long long time, we still have four centre-halves which is alright. Is it now perfect? I would say if we can go with these four then yes, but if not then it is more tricky. Unless clubs put one under the Christmas tree for us, but I don't think so to be honest."
Liverpool are second in the Premier League, just two points off leaders Arsenal, going into another weekend of fixtures. Klopp has been delighted with his team’s resilience and is backing the squad to keep the momentum going.
"Our new leadership group are all experienced, world-class footballers,” he said. "That's why we are where we are, but I'm not sure it is a surprise or whatever. Last season put some doubt in people's minds, I understand that. I'm happy that we could show the right signs, nothing happened yet obviously. Nobody knows where this will end up, all teams are probably only two injuries away from big problems, that's how it is."