Liverpool have reportedly put their foot down at the prospect of Emre Can leaving this summer, amid interest from Juventus

According to a report by The Mirror, Liverpool are unwilling to let Emre Can leave this summer even as they are yet to come to a solution over his contract stand-off with the club. The Reds are likely to lose Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona, thus making them reluctant to part ways with Can as well.

Juventus have been interested in signing Can and are believed to be lining up a £23 million offer for the player, who is in the final year of his current deal. However, the report further goes to state that Liverpool would rather let Can leave for free next summer instead of cashing in on one of Jurgen Klopp’s key performers.

Liverpool signed Can from Bayer Leverkusen back in the summer of 2014 in a £10 million deal. The 23-year-old Germany international gradually grew into the first-team setup to record 40 appearances in all competitions for the Reds in the 2016/17 season, who will hope the player decides to ink a new long-term deal at Anfield.

With Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson struggling with fitness issues, it does seem like Can could get a bigger role to ease the burden of the Englishman. Also, the German will enjoy the opportunity to return to the Champions League which will in turn make him all the more indispensable to the squad.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 31: Roberto Firmino of Liverpool and Emre Can of Liverpool celebrate victory during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield on December 31, 2016 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
No escaping Liverpool this summer? (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

With Coutinho believed to be seeking an exit from the club, Can will hope to play a more crucial role for the Reds. He did face his fair share of criticism from the fans for the initial part of the previous season due to his lacklustre performances and his refusal to sign a new contract as he demanded an increase in his wages.

However, all that changed once Can started performing better towards the end of last season, and now fans actually want him to stay. He especially blossomed in Jordan Henderson’s absence and took up the responsibility with grit and power supported by all-action performances.

As far as Juventus are concerned, their squad is perfectly balanced at the moment, but Massimiliano Allegri will be looking to add cover in the midfield for the 2017/18.

Quite possibly, the German midfielder might have to take up a less important role at Juventus considering they already have players like Miralem Pjanic, Sami Khedira and Claudio Marchisio. He might even have to be satisfied with lesser playing time – something Can will have to reflect upon.

Meanwhile, Klopp was also believed to be eager to sign Naby Keita, whose pursuit seem to be running into troubled waters. Although it might seem like he has reinforcements in mind, it looks like the manager’s top priority is to ensure that no other player – besides Coutinho – leaves Anfield in this window.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Recommended

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.