Liverpool will sign Schalke defender Joel Matip at the end of the season when his contract is up, the club confirmed earlier today.
The Cameroonian international has agreed a four-year deal at Anfield.
Given his Bundesliga background, he is a player current Liverpool manager and ex-Borussia Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp will be very familiar with.
But what do we know about the player?
#LFC can confirm they have reached an agreement to sign Joel Matip this summer: https://t.co/IxCxXST2Wt pic.twitter.com/mcv7wIynty
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) February 15, 2016
Background
Born in Germany to a German mother and Cameroonian father, the 24-year-old chose his father's home nation at international level.
He was part of the Cameroon side which went to the 2014 World Cup and scored against Brazil, although the Indomitable Lions struggled as a team.
Having started out at the youth academy of hometown VFL Bochum, he switched to Schalke's famed academy - which has also produced Mesut Ozil, Manuel Neuer and Julian Draxler - in 2000 at the age of nine.
Since then, he has only ever played for the top flight side, making almost 250 appearances in all competitions.
Position and style
Tall at 6 foot 4, Matip can play at centre-back but also further forward in defensive midfield if required.
This season, he has exclusively played at centre-back in a defence which has conceded 28 goals in 21 games.
Durable, he has not missed a single minute of Bundesliga action so far this season and ranks 12th in the Bundesliga for interceptions for game.
He has also won 73 per cent of his duels in the air and has headed in three Bundesliga goals this season.
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