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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Kathryn Batte

Joel Matip outlines Liverpool ambition after signing new long-term contract

Joel Matip has outlined his ambition to win more silverware with Liverpool after signing a new long-term contract with the club.

The centre-back's deal was set to expire at the end of the season but will now remain at the club until 2024.

Matip has been in excellent form for the Reds this year and was a pivotal part of Jurgen Klopp 's Champions League winning side.

The defender told Liverpoolfc.com last season's success has made more hungry to add to the club's silverware.

"This is one of the dreams that every young footballer or young kid has, but normally you know it probably won’t come true. Now I am part of this club and we won the Champions League, that’s something nobody can ever take away from you. I hope something like this will follow on again.

"You don’t want it to be the end. We have a young and talented team and I think every one of us is hungry. Now we’ve seen how it is to win something and we want to have that feeling again.

"We’ve had it now, but we are focused to repeat it and repeat it."

Matip picked up the PFA player of the month award for September but believes he still has a lot of learning to do.

"I’ve had a few years in my career now and as a centre-back you maybe need some more time to learn.

"I have had now enough time to learn, but I still can learn – I want to improve, even when I am 30 or something like this. I always want to improve, I always want to learn. It is the only way it works – if you want to get better, you have to learn.

The German also said his Liverpool teammates helped him settle into life in England and praised the spirit in the dressing room.

"The welcome from the club from all the people here was so great that I could settle quite early and in well. Of course, in the beginning it is hard because there are some differences in the kind of play and the club is much bigger.

"It was the whole club; all of my teammates. All of them were directly friendly and I had never a feeling that I was the new guy. They made me feel at home."

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