Two Liverpool players likely to leave on free transfers at end of the season

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Liverpool will allow Thiago Alcantara and Joel Matip to run down their contracts and leave on a free next year.

Both players are now into the final 12 months on their current deals at Anfield. And according to journalist James Pearce, both are expected to play out a final season for the Reds.

Asked about Liverpool’s current plans for contract extensions in a Q&A for The Athletic, Pearce suggested Thiago and Matip would be unlikely to sign on again. However, there are no plans to sell them this summer either.

“Both Van Dijk and Salah have two years left, so there’s no rush on that front, especially given their age. Thiago and Joel Matip are down to their final year but there’s no sign of extensions being offered,” Pearce said. “Unless either of them pushes for a move this summer, I’d expect them to leave as free agents in 2024.

“Of those out of contract in 2025, Trent Alexander-Arnold will be the priority in terms of agreeing a fresh deal. I’d expect that to be addressed in the coming months.”

Thiago and Matip enter final year

This isn’t a surprise to read this morning. It has felt likely for some months that neither Thiago nor Matip would be at Anfield beyond their current terms.

For a while, it had looked possible that Matip could actually be sold before next season starts. But those rumours have cooled in recent weeks. The big Cameroonian looks set for an eighth season at the club after all.

That will likely split opinion amongst the fan base. Sure, Matip is a popular player and has been truly brilliant for Liverpool for long stretches. There were times where the 31-year-old genuinely eclipsed the more celebrated Van Dijk.

However, he visibly struggled last season, with long-term injuries looking to have finally taken their toll. If a new centre-back is brought in to ease his work-load, Matip is still good to have around. If not, you can see this being a problem for Jurgen Klopp next season.

As for Thiago, it’s probably the right decision, too. With the Reds in the middle of a midfield rebuild, it makes sense to keep the Spaniard around for the time being.

His quality is undeniable and what he brings in terms of leadership for the younger players in the team can’t be measured. Hopefully with a little more help in 2023/24, Liverpool can manage Thiago’s minutes to get the best out of him.

For all his quality, his time with the Reds has been a slight disappointment. But he still has one long year left to end things on a high.