Former Liverpool ace ‘considers shock retirement’ at the age of just 33 – as star finds himself still without a club five months on from his Anfield exit

A former Liverpool defender is reportedly considering retirement at the age of 33. 

Joel Matip has been a free agent since leaving Anfield in the summer and is now on the verge of hanging up his boots, according to a report from Germany.

Fabrizio Romano shared the news on X on Friday, crediting Ruhr Nachrichten for the scoop.

Matip, who joined the Reds from German side Schalke in 2016, left the club after spending eight years in Merseyside back in May.

He has remained a free agent over the summer, despite his impressive career to date, while being linked with a return to Schalke as well as a move to Hamburger.

Matip spent eight seasons under Jurgen Klopp and has been a free agent since leaving Anfield

Matip was a consistent feature in Jurgen Klopp’s side for eight years and departed with an impressive trophy haul.

He won seven trophies with the Reds, including a Premier League title, a Champions League, an FA Cup and a League Cup.

Perhaps his biggest moment for Liverpool came in their Champions League final victory over Spurs in 2019, where he assisted Divock Origi for their second goal.

The club confirmed the news in a statement on their website back in May, as the defender bid farewell with an emotional message.

Paying tribute to Matip after he left Liverpool, Klopp said: ‘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.

‘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.

Matip was given a guard of honour by the Liverpool team after it was confirmed he was leaving