Schalke are hoping that Joel Matip will be ready to return to football in the January transfer window, after staying away from the game since leaving Liverpool in the summer.
That’s according to BILD, who say the German club are still dreaming of bringing the former Liverpool man back to the club.
The newspaper explains that Matip remains a free agent after leaving Liverpool in the summer following eight years at Anfield.
Rumours immediately linked him with a return to Schalke and were strengthened by the fact he and his family had moved back to Ruhr area.
Schalke bosses were ‘completely in love’ with the idea of signing the defender after he left Liverpool and ‘good discussions’ were even held with him. Matip decided to say no and spend time with his family.
The idea of a return has not yet been completely dismissed by the club or him, though, and they are still in contact. The hope is that he will agree to return to football in January.
Two ideas are being worked on. Either Matip stays longer and ends his career at Schalke or play for them in the second half of the season and ‘recommend himself’ to another club. Either way, Schalke consider him a ‘mega coup’.
