Liverpool have confirmed the departures of midfielder Thiago Alcantara and defender Joel Matip at the end of the season.
Both players were hampered by injuries throughout the season, limiting their impact on the pitch.
Alcantara arrived at Anfield in 2020 from Bayern Munich in a £25 million deal. The 33-year-old former Barcelona maestro’s technical brilliance was undeniable, but his time at Liverpool was disrupted by a series of setbacks, primarily hip issues.
Alcantara still managed 98 appearances, contributing to an FA Cup triumph and a Champions League runner-up finish in 2022.
“Before he even came to Liverpool I believed that if you really love football, it would make a lot of sense if you watched Thiago Alcantara play,” said manager Jurgen Klopp (via LFC’s website).
“Technically, he is so, so good. A talent who could play in any team in the world, and it was a privilege to have him with us.”
Matip has been a stalwart at the back since joining from Schalke in 2016. The 32-year-old Cameroonian centre-back played a pivotal role in Liverpool’s historic Premier League title win in 2020 and their Champions League victory a year before.
However, his season was cut short in December after suffering a cruciate ligament rupture against Fulham. Matip ends his Liverpool tenure with 201 appearances and 11 goals.
On Matip, Klopp said, “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.”
There will be a mass exodus at the club, with Matip and Alcantara already set to leave. They will be joined by goalkeeper Adrian, whose deal also expires this summer.
Manager Jurgen Klopp will leave the club after the final game against Wolverhampton Wanderers this Sunday. Assistant coach Pepijn Lijnders and Vitor Matos will also depart for RB Salzburg.
Liverpool will be looking for replacements to fill the void left by all these key components as the club strives to maintain their position at the pinnacle of English and European football.
