Liverpool hero holds ‘very positive talks’ over signing with league champions in deal that’ll help Man Utd

Liverpool cult hero, Joel Matip, is edging closer to signing for the champions of a top five European league, and the move could inadvertently help Manchester United to make a major signing of their own.

Matip brought his excellent eight-year stint with Liverpool to a close on June 30. The veteran centre-back, 32, saw his contract expire, with his final season at Anfield primarily spent on the sidelines after suffering an ACL injury.

Former boss Jurgen Klopp had called upon Liverpool’s decision-makers to do right by Matip and offer an extension.

However, with Klopp also departing, the likes of Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes were under no pressure to accede to Klopp’s request.

Furthermore, re-signing Matip may have hindered the development of breakthrough star Jarell Quansah. As such, and taking Matip’s age and injury record into account, the Reds elected to part ways.

Fast forward one month and Matip is yet to sign with a new club. However, he has held talks with reigning Bundesliga champions, Bayer Leverkusen.

According to a fresh update from Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, those discussions have been “very positive.”

Plettenberg insisted Matip is not the only centre-back Xabi Alonso’s side are casting their eye over. Furthermore, Leverkusen aren’t the only club showing interest in the former Reds favourite.

However, a two-year contract has seemingly been proposed during the talks and the fact those discussions were “very positive” suggests a deal is there to be made.

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Joel Matip heading to Bayer Leverkusen?

Taking to X, Plettenberg stated: “Joel Matip, one of the top alternatives for Bayer 04 Leverkusen in case that Jonathan Tah or another central defender will leave the club – as revealed!

“Very positive talks. Matip can really imagine to join Leverkusen as a free agent.

“No total verbal agreement but he could sign a contract at least until 2026.

“But: 32-year-old former Liverpool defender with more concrete options. Not only Leverkusen.”

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Matip move could help Man Utd

Matip’s potential move could also have an effect over at Old Trafford. The Red Devils are seeking to sign Matthijs De Ligt from Bayern Munich and Fabrizio Romano has confirmed a new bid is coming.

Bayern hope to collect €50m/£43m from a sale and are open to offloading the Dutch centre-back. Personal terms have already been agreed.

Bayern’s willingness to offload De Ligt stems from the fact they’re chasing a second new centre-back signing to follow Hiroki Ito – formerly of Stuttgart – into Bavaria.

Their primary target in that regard is Jonathan Tah of Bayer Leverkusen. Tah is high on the idea of joining Bayern.

Tah’s potential exit is behind Leverkusen exploring a centre-back signing of their own, with Matip now emerging at the top end of their list.

A domino effect could well be in play, with Matip replacing Tah at Leverkusen, Tah replacing De Ligt at Bayern, and De Ligt freed up to join Man Utd.

Various reports have theorised the player who’ll be booted out to make way for De Ligt at the end of that transfer chain is Victor Lindelof.

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