However, West Ham are said to have leap-frogged Newcastle in the race for the free agent.
Joel Matip became a free agent this summer, when he was released from Liverpool, after an eight-year stay at Anfield.
West Ham have been heavily linked with a move to sign Joel Matip over the past few weeks, after Julen Lopetegui failed to bring in another centre-back late on in the summer transfer window.
The Hammers head coach left himself short in the centre-back department, after Nayef Aguerd and Kurt Zouam left the London Stadium on deadline day.
Joel Matip to West Ham could be on
The former Liverpool man is still available on a free transfer, with the Hammers and the Magpies thought to be closely following him.That could all change now though, if Lopetegui manages to win the race for the signature of free agent Matip.
But who has the lead in the race to sign him?The real reason we’re now favourites to sign Matip is the fact that Newcastle have named a full 25-man squad, so they won’t be able to register the centre-back until the next transfer window, according to a report from the Shields Gazette.
However, West Ham only named a 22-man squad, so can integrate the Cameroon international into the squad immediately.
That’s great news for the Hammers as far as I’m concerned, and now Lopetegui has to take full advantage.
It remains to be seen whether the Spaniard thinks he needs Matip though, rather than utilising youngster Kaelan Casey as our fourth-choice centre-back.
Joel Matip a no-brainer for West Ham
The 6ft 5in centre-back has been a tremendous player over the last decade or so.
He’s won the Premier League and the Champions League with Liverpool, and firmly established himself as one of the very best central defenders on the continent during his eight-year spell at Anfield.
Matip, 33, is still more than capable of doing a job for the Hammers, especially as our fourth choice centre-back!
However, his injury record is less than impressive, and that will undoubtedly be a concern for West Ham officials.
A cruciate ligament injury forced him to miss the entire second half of last season, and there are doubts that he will be able to return to his best after recovering from that.