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Unsurprisingly considering his form since last season, but our quiet and lanky giraffe of a defender Joël Matip has signed a new contract!
The club website made the announcement on Friday afternoon, without releasing specifics of the length of the contract. Most extensions given lately have been in the 3-5 year range, though, so we can probably expect to keep Matip for another three years at least.
Matip joined Liverpool in 2016 through a free transfer from FC Schalke 04, after making 194 appearances for them in the Bundesliga and 250 overall. His partnership with Virgil Van Dijk last season was an integral part of Liverpool’s march to their sixth European title.
“It’s a great feeling to be a longer part of the club. It’s really just a great feeling,” Matip told the club website after signing the new deal.
“From outside, you know Liverpool is such a big club – but when you are inside, then you really get a feeling for how big the club is. In all the countries, the supporters are everywhere. It’s a massive and big club that I think every player would want to play for.
“We have a young and talented team and I think every one of us is hungry. Now we’ve seen how it is to win something and we want to have that feeling again.
“There are a lot of things still to achieve. You never know how it will end, you just have to work hard and do the best you can do. Then we will see.
“It is an honour to be a part of the club. It makes me happy that people think I’ve done a good job and they want to keep me.”
Matip missed the match against Leicester City and Salzburg with a slight knock but is slated to return to action against Manchester United on Sunday.