Liverpool are interested in securing a pre-contract agreement with Schalke defender Joel Matip in January, Goal understands, and the Reds have been encouraged by the defender's hesitation to renew his current deal in Germany.

The Cameroon international will be a free agent in the summer, but reports in Germany suggest the Bundesliga outfit have offered him a new four-year deal with an annual salary of €3.5 million.

However, the 24-year-old has been reluctant to reach an agreement, with Schalke's sporting director Horst Heldt revealing: "It is not going smoothly. On our side everything is clear, but Joel wants to wait and see Schalke's development."

On Thursday, Heldt added: “There are no requests for him. Joel's intention is not to leave the club in January. And if it was like that, we would prevent that with everything we have."

Source: Goal.com

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