Former Liverpool striker John Aldridge believes Joel Matip could be Jurgen Klopp’s best summer signing after his performance against Chelsea on Friday night.
Although the former Schalke player was hardly an unknown before he joined the Reds in the summer on a free transfer, Aldo believes the Cameroonian international could have a similar impact to when Sami Hyypia arrived at the club. He wrote in his column for the Liveerpool Echo:
“Matip’s size and height means he’s winning those high balls in the box, he’s a real man mountain. He reminds me of Sami Hyypia in that respect, in how he likes to get his head on everything. Don’t forget this lad came on a free as well. Ridiculous. We always moan about paying big fees for ordinary players but Jurgen Klopp has plucked this one out of nowhere. He could be a revelation. He has every attribute – he’s great in the air, dominant, fantastic on the floor. Make no mistake, Klopp has found one here.”
Hi strength in the air will no doubt help the Reds improve their set piece defending which was one of Jurgen Klopp’s main issues last season. At 24 years of age as well, Matip can still improve. His elegance on the ball combined with his strength in the air could prove to be vital for the Reds as they look to shore up at the back in the coming weeks. If he is anywhere near Hyppia’s level, we will have a special player on our hands.
