Thiago Alcantara and Joel Matip to Leave Liverpool at Season’s End
Liverpool Football Club has confirmed that midfielder Thiago Alcantara and defender Joel Matip will depart the club at the conclusion of the season.
Thiago, a former Spain international, joined Liverpool from Bayern Munich in 2020 and made 98 appearances for the Reds. Matip, a centre-back, has been with Liverpool since 2016, arriving from Schalke. Over his eight-year tenure, Matip played 201 times and scored 11 goals.
Both players have faced limited playing time this season due to injuries. Matip has been sidelined since December after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) against Fulham. Thiago, who missed the first half of the season with a hip issue, returned in February but suffered a muscle problem shortly after.
Reflecting on his time at Anfield, Matip said, “It has been eight wonderful years here in Liverpool. I was allowed to be part of an exciting history with a great coach and an astonishing team in an extraordinary club. We have achieved great titles and have the best fans in the world.”
Matip was instrumental in Liverpool’s Champions League victory in 2019, notably setting up Divock Origi’s goal in the final against Tottenham. He also played a key role in Liverpool’s Premier League triumph the following year, their first league title in 30 years.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp praised Matip, saying, “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. I’m not even sure it would be possible to say anything bad about him.”
Thiago, who described his time at Liverpool as a “life-changing experience,” expressed his gratitude to the fans, posting on social media, “Appreciation and gratitude – they are two words that come to mind on the day I have to say goodbye to all of you, Reds.”
Klopp also lauded Thiago’s contributions, stating, “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. I know injuries have been a frustration for him and also for us but the level that he was able to play at when he was available was incredible. This is what I will remember.”
Both Matip and Thiago were part of the Liverpool squad that won the FA Cup and EFL Cup in 2022. During that season, Liverpool narrowly missed out on a quadruple, finishing second to Manchester City in the Premier League by one point and losing the Champions League final to Real Madrid.
Meanwhile, has earlier announced, manager Jurgen Klopp will leave the club following their final game of the season against Wolves at Anfield on Sunday. Klopp’s departure will mark the end of a transformative era for Liverpool under his leadership.
The departure of Thiago and Matip signifies the end of an era for Liverpool, as the club looks ahead to a new chapter in its storied history.
