West Ham United and Newcastle United are believed to be battling it out for the signature of Joel Matip. 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 K…