A jack of all trades blessed with fantastic athleticism, half of Europe is keeping one eye on Joel Matip at the moment, with his Schalke contract set to expire at the end of the season.
Is the 24 year-old a world-beater in the making? Perhaps not. But he’s proved himself equally adept at centre-half, full-back and defensive midfield throughout his Miners career, registering 232 appearances in total, and therefore has the potential to become a very useful squad player for one of Europe’s top clubs.
The 6 foot 4 utility man has featured almost exclusively at centre-back this term and hugely impressed, averaging 1.3 tackles, 2.6 interceptions, 5.3 clearances and 4.3 successful aerial duels per match, which will only increase the long list of suitors tracking his availability.
Indeed, he’s been linked with Liverpool and Manchester United in the past to name a few, and those clubs could well come calling in January unless Schalke address the Cameroon international’s contract situation.
Matip perhaps wouldn’t have a monumental impact on Arsenal’s title chances, but his physicality and versatility remain valuable assets for any squad.