---
title: "What will ‘free signing’ Joel Matip really cost Liverpool?"
canonical: "https://readliverpoolfc.com/articles/will-free-signing-joel-matip-really-cost-liverpool/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Ste Hoare"
section: "Articles"
published: "2016-02-16T11:34:40Z"
modified: "2016-02-16T11:57:45Z"
---

# What will ‘free signing’ Joel Matip really cost Liverpool?

It was announced yesterday [by Liverpool](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/207337-reds-confirm-deal-to-sign-joel-matip) that Schalke defender Joel Matip has signed a pre-contract agreement with the Reds and will move to Merseyside in the summer on a free transfer.

However, as we all know, nothing is ever really free in football, there’s always a price to pay.

When a sought-after player is able to leave his club after running down his contract, he often gets the added bonus of a huge signing-on fee as the buying club obviously don’t have to pay a transfer fee.

![Denis Doyle/Getty Images Sport](https://cdn.readeverything.co/readliverpoolfc/2016/02/479413683.jpg)

Instead, the money goes to the player and in the case of Matip, [ESPN suggest via Bild](https://www.espnfc.com/story/2808632/joel-matip-jurgen-klopp-a-factor-in-joining-liverpool) that he will be paid a signing-on fee of €5million (approximately £3.8million).

Furthermore, he will receive €7million (approximately £5.4million) in wages per year, which works out at roughly £103,000-a-week.

Therefore, suggestions that he is being brought in as a backup option are probably wide of the mark as it would be nonsensical to pay a reserve option such a huge salary.