Liverpool will reportedly look to sign Schalke defender Joel Matip once they wrap up a deal for Red Star Belgrade starlet Marko Grujic.

The 24-year-old Cameroon international stopper has been with the German Bundesliga outfit since 2000 as he progressed through their youth ranks and became a part of the first-team squad in 2009.

However as Matip will be out of contract in the summer it's being reported that Reds boss Jurgen Klopp, who knows all about the player from his lengthy spell at Borussia Dortmund, is keen to try and engineer a move to take him to Anfield to help bolster the defence.

Liverpool will be able to hold pre-contract agreement talks with Matip in January if he fails to sign a new deal with Schalke.

Meanwhile Reds chief executive Ian Ayre has travelled to Belgrade in an effort to tie up a £5million deal for highly-rated 19-year-old midfielder Grujic.

The Merseysiders will then allow the youngster to stay put in Serbia and finish the season with Red Star before linking up with the club in the summer.

Source: ClubCall

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