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‘Move him on’: John Aldridge thinks Liverpool should look to sell £100k-a-week man
Liverpool legend John Aldridge has suggested that the Reds “may need” to move Joel Matip on in the summer.
The Cameroon defender joined Liverpool in the summer of 2016 after leaving Schalke, and has made 123 competitive appearances for Jurgen Klopp’s side.
Matip was instrumental in helping the Reds win the Champions League in 2019, making eight starts in that year’s competition and registering an assist in the final.
However, injuries have caused him to miss multiple games this season, with just 10 Premier League appearances and two Champions League outings under his belt.
The ace will now miss the remainder of the campaign after suggering an ankle ligament injury during the 3-1 win at Tottenham last week.
“The win at Spurs came at a cost as Joel Matip picked up yet another injury and harsh as this might sound, Liverpool may need to move on from him now,” Aldridge wrote in the .
“He is a decent defender and when he is fit, he has been a great player over the last couple of years, but his body just won’t stand up to the rigours of the Premier League.
“Liverpool need defenders who can play three games a week if required and Matip has confirmed now that he can’t fulfil that need.
“I’m sure Liverpool will look to sign a defender next summer with a view to him being either first or second choice partner for Van Dijk when he is back to full fitness.”
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It’s a real shame how Matip’s season has panned out, with constant injury issues seeing him miss on game time – particularly at a time when Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez are also out.
However, Aldridge’s comments make sense – he acknowledges they may seem harsh, but that’s the reality of the sport.
Next season, Klopp will be desperate to avoid the same issues, which means not only bolstering his defensive ranks – as he has done – but potentially move players on which he can’t rely on.