As Liverpool and FSG prepare for life without Jurgen Klopp, they may also soon turn their attention to replacing Joel Matip, with the defender’s contract set to expire at the end of the season. In need of another central defender, the Reds have reportedly turned to La Liga and a player who knows all about Premier League football.
Liverpool transfer news
Replacing Matip may not be a simple task this summer, given his experience and defensive prowess, but that hasn’t stopped those at Anfield from scouring the transfer market. Names such as Piero Hincapie, Antonio Silva and Goncalo Inacio have all already been mentioned by reports linking Liverpool with a fresh face in their backline, with a move for Hincapie perhaps dependent on Xabi Alonso’s next move.
Alonso reportedly tops Liverpool’s shortlist of Klopp replacements and has already received contact over a potential move. And this should come as little surprise, given the job that the Spaniard is doing at Bayer Leverkusen and his strong Anfield links already in place from his playing days.
Should Alonso be the man to replace Klopp, he may not need to turn to a familiar face in Hincapie to suit his system, however. According to reports in Spain, FSG and Liverpool are willing to go all out to sign Andreas Christensen in a deal that could be worth up to £43m this summer. The Barcelona defender, who previously played for Chelsea, knows all about playing in a back five and could instantly become a key player under Alonso if Liverpool made moves for both.
“Fantastic” Christensen may have unfinished business in the Premier League
After leaving Chelsea for Barcelona as a free agent back in 2022, the Dane, who won twice at Anfield with the Blues, now reportedly has the chance to make his Premier League return and finish what he started in pursuit of the ultimate prize in English football. Christensen’s stats compared to Matip’s this season show that he’s more than capable of replacing the Cameroon defender too.
Stats (Per 90) | Andreas Christensen | Joel Matip |
|---|---|---|
Progressive Carries | 1.13 | 0.92 |
Progressive Passes | 5.85 | 3.91 |
Aerial Duels Lost | 0.92 | 1.15 |
Tackles Won | 0.56 | 0.69 |
The central defender is someone who impressed many in the Premier League, including former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte, who previously said via Sky Sports:
“Christensen is having a fantastic season and he is showing great maturity. His performance was wonderful. I trust Christensen. I think this player is the present and also for the future for Chelsea. He can also become the captain of this team.”
Whilst Christensen arguably never became the Chelsea leader that Conte had in mind, he could yet at least step back into the Premier League and pick up where he left off in England’s top flight.
