Joel Matip closes in on Premier League return as Liverpool cult hero nears decision

Joel Matip is considering offers from Premier League and European clubs as he plans his next career move.

The defender, who left Liverpool last season after nine years of service, is a free agent but could soon be back in action. It's believed he's piqued the interest of Fulham , Bournemouth , and West Ham United - and he's leaning toward a return to England.

The 2019 Champions League winner, 33, is said to be seeking a two-year contract rather than a short-term deal, putting some foreign clubs on high alert as they aim to secure his services. Bayer Leverkusen is named as one club outside of England that may make an offer for the unattached player, although it's still uncertain where the former Cameroon international will end up.

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Matip was a fan favourite during his nearly decade-long stint in Merseyside, helping the club achieve domestic and European success. Despite frequent injuries hindering his progress, he remained a key player for Jurgen Klopp.

"In all the years that I have been involved in football, I am not sure I have come across too many players who are more loved than Joel Matip," said Klopp after Matip's exit. "I’m not even sure it would be possible to say anything bad about him.

"A wonderful professional, a wonderful footballer and a wonderful human being - we have been blessed to have him with us for as long as we have and now all we can do is wish him well as he heads off in a new direction.

"Joel’s qualities as a player are there for all to see and as a club, we have benefited from them since the first moment that he joined. I don’t think he has had too many headlines over the years but he has only ever been a very famous figure within our group.

"I have said before that if there was one person who wouldn’t care if he was underrated it would be Joel, but the truth is we could not have rated him more highly. Not only has he set the standards for himself, he has set them for others and this is one of the main reasons why his time here has been so successful."