Liverpool looking forward to sign Cameroon's Matip

Joel Matip represents a realistic transfer option for Liverpool as Jurgen Klopp looks to beef up his squad, and the Schalke defender could be a strong addition.

This would likely see Matip join Liverpool next summer, with Schalke manager Andre Breitenreiter ruling out a winter transfer as he plots for a strong finish to the 2015/16 campaign.The Reds are able to discuss terms with Matip from the beginning of next year, with Klopp likely searching for a replacement for Kolo Toure.But who is Matip, and will he fit in at Liverpool?

Joel Matip

Bochum were a force in the Bundesliga at the time, and Matip slowly progressed through the youth ranks before Schalke made an audacious move to sign him in 2000, leaving his older brother, Marvin, behind.Joel and Marvin are sons of former Cameroon international Jean Matip, with the family enjoying a rich footballing heritage.Schalke nurtured this innate talent in their academy while Matip attended the Gesamtschule Berger Feld, a comprehensive school which boasts Mesut Ozil, Manuel Neuer, Julian Draxler and Benedikt Howedes among its alumni.Nine years after his arrival at Schalke, Matip made his Bundesliga debut against Louis van Gaal's Bayern Munich.

Starting at the base of the midfield in a lineup that also included Howedes, Matip saw his side go behind to a Daniel van Buyten strike in the opening half hour, but 12 minutes later the then-18-year-old rose to nod in Lukas Schmitz's cross to secure a 1-1 draw for the Gelsenkirchen side.Matip was named Man of the Match, and given German publication