Joel Matip finds himself in transfer difficulty after emotional Liverpool exit

Joel Matip is struggling to find a new club after leaving Liverpool , according to reports in Germany. The 32-year-old center-back's injury history is said to be putting off a lot of potential suitors including a return to former side Schalke.

Available on a free transfer, Der Westen reports that Matip is unlikely to head back to Schalke because the Bundesliga side would struggle to pay his salary. But it adds that the 16 different injuries he suffered at Liverpool and 140 games he missed because of it haven’t gone unnoticed either.

Matip missed 37 games for Liverpool last season because of an ACL injury and while Schalke fans have supposedly been dreaming of a reunion, the chances of that happening are currently deemed to be extremely unlikely. On Merseyside for eight years, Matip only managed to play an average of 25 matches per season.

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At Liverpool, Matip proved to be an astute signing nonetheless, coming in under Jurgen Klopp as a free transfer. At his best, he was among the very best in his position in the world.

Unfortunately, though, there was often a feeling that he was never far away from a setback. While he was a key player for Liverpool as it won the Premier League and the Champions League , he also missed a lot of football in that period.

Liverpool.com says: Alongside Virgil van Dijk , Matip was a colossus at his best. Those dribbles out to break the lines where he would clamber forward and join the attack were a brilliant attacking weapon as well.

Ultimately, though, it would be a risk for anyone to sign him on big wages. That is why Liverpool made the decision to part ways and move on from the Cameroonian despite him being very popular in the dressing room. If he had a perfect injury record, he would have become one of the best defenders in Liverpool's history.

Someone will take a chance on him sooner rather than later with Premier League clubs including Bournemouth having been previously credited with an interest. It remains to be seen whether he will stay in England or move elsewhere.