Joel Matip nears Schalke exit

Schalke defender Joel Matip could soon be leaving the Bundesliga side, according to German newspaper Bild.

The 24-year-old will be out of contract at the end of the current campaign and he has recently been offered a new deal by the club.

But, despite receiving a proposal of a four-year contract worth €3.5 million per season, Matip does not seem ready to extend his stay at Veltins Arena.

Namely, the Cameroon defender appears to be unhappy by the club’s future prospect and is clearly considering his options.

“It (contract extension) depends. From our side everything is clear, but Joel wants to await developments at Schalke,” general manager Horst Heldt told Bild.

Matip’s potential departure would be considered a major blow for the Bundesliga side, considering that the talented centre-back has been one of the most important players in the squad for several years now.

Matip had come through the youth ranks at Schalke, having joined as a nine-year-old from Bochum, and went on to make 173 Bundesliga appearances for the Miners, scoring 16 goals in the process.