In a recent report, journalist Pete O’Rourke mentioned that West Ham United are stepping up their efforts to sign Joel Matip. It has been revealed that the Hammers are eyeing a move to land the Cameroonian talent on a free transfer.
Matip’s Good Form At Liverpool Last Season
The experienced centre-back had an injury-ravaged campaign at Liverpool but caught the times at times for them on the defensive third of the pitch. Matip was involved in 14 matches for the Reds last season in various competitions.
The Cameroonian defensive ace gave a good account of himself when defending inside his half as he averaged 1.2 tackles, 0.9 interceptions and 4.1 clearances per game in the Premier League. He was even tidy when distributing the ball from the back based on his pass success rate of 87.7% in league football (stats via whoscored).
The 33-year-old is currently a free agent which makes him an affordable option for West Ham to consider this month.
Is Matip A Good Option For West Ham United?
Matip is a solid tackler of the ball and can read the danger well to earn the ball back for his team inside his half. He doesn’t mind clearing the danger when required and can use his robust 1.95m frame to dominate the opposition attackers in the air when he is playing well on the pitch.
However, the Cameroon international can be a bit inconsistent at times on the defensive end of the pitch as father time is slowly catching up with his game. Still, Matip has got a wealth of experience in the Premier League and won’t take much time to settle into life at West Ham if Julen Lopetegui can find a way to bring him on board this month.
Matip would add more bite and steel to the East London club‘s defence. He remains good enough to compete for a regular first-team spot at the London Stadium this season. At 33, Matip might still have a couple of good seasons left in him to play at his best. Plus, he is on an expiring contract which makes him a decent option for the Hammers to consider this summer.
