Only Liverpool competition for 25-year-old summer signing was Newcastle - sources
Transfers

Only Liverpool competition for 25-year-old summer signing was Newcastle - sources

Wayne Veysey
Wayne Veysey

Founder & Managing Director AUTHORITY Former chief correspondent at Evening Standard, Goal and Press Association with nearly three decades in national, regional and digital news and sports journalism. Wayne directs the network’s news strategy and high-level operations. FOCUS Editorial direction for the 11-site network and newsroom management. THE BRIEF Wayne oversees the network’s editorial standards across the network. He provides the final sign-off on all headline scoops, ensuring content across all platforms meets the standards required for a high-velocity newsroom.

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By Alex Stevens

Liverpool's only competition for the summer signing of Joel Matip was Newcastle, Football Insider sources understand.

The Merseysiders landed the Cameroon international on a free transfer in the summer after his contract had expired at previous club Schalke.

Matip, 25, had committed to a pre-contract agreement with Liverpool in January after being convinced to link up with Jurgen Klopp in the Premier League.

A well-placed source has told Football Insider that Liverpool's only competition for the signing of Matip either from English or overseas clubs came from Newcastle, who ended the 2015-16 season by being relegated to the Championship.

Remarkably, no other teams were in the contest to land Matip at the time when he was secured by Liverpool in January, even though the defender was proven in the Bundesliga and an established international.

Matip has been a revelation at Liverpool this season, delivering a series of brilliant displays at the heart of a defence that has appeared brittle when he has been unavailable.

He has made 13 appearances for the Premier League giants this season and developed an encouraging partnership with Dejan Lovren.

Matip missed the Merseyside club's trip to Bournemouth on Sunday with a minor ankle injury and was sorely missed as they let slip a 3-1 lead to lose 4-3 in a remarkable match.

The defender emerged from the Schalke youth ranks and went on to make 258 senior appearances for the club before joining Liverpool.

In other Liverpool transfer news, a senior Anfield figure has secured a dream move to Brazil.

Liverpool FC
Newcastle United
Joel Matip
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