In a recent tweet, Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth shared ExWHUEmployee’s report on how West Ham United are hoping to land Joel Matip, who is currently a free agent. It has been claimed that the Hammers are eyeing a move for the Cameroon international who was released by Liverpool earlier this summer.
Matip’s Decent Run Of Form At Merseyside
Matip served as an important member of Liverpool’s squad in the previous campaign but missed a lot of games for them due to a serious injury. The 33-year-old featured in 14 matches for the Reds last season on all fronts.
The Cameroonian centre-back proved his worth on the defensive third of the pitch by averaging 1.2 tackles, 0.9 interceptions and 4.1 clearances per game in the Premier League. He was even accurate when distributing the ball from the back after completing 87.7% of his attempted passes in league football (stats via whoscored).
Matip is available as a free agent right now which makes him an affordable option for West Ham to sign this year. However, he won’t be a long-term fix to Julen Lopetegui’s defensive concerns at the East London club.
Should West Ham United Boss Julen Lopetegui Recruit Matip?
Matip is a tough-tackling defender who can time his challenges well to earn possession back for his team inside his half. He usually puts his foot through the ball when the opposition are on the offensive and can play his way out from the back.
Standing at 1.95m, the Cameroon international is a strong presence in the air as well. However, he has lost a lot of pace and can sometimes struggle to make recovering runs on the defensive end of the pitch.
Still, we can expect Matip to add more bite and steel to West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui’s defence. He is good enough to challenge for a regular first-team spot at the London Stadium this season. Therefore, it makes sense for the Hammers to go into the free-agent market and recruit Matip this month.
At 33, the former Liverpool defender might still have a couple of good seasons left in him to play at his best. Thus, Lopetegui should consider giving Matip a chance to prove his worth at the East London club by offering him a short-term deal.
