Liverpool have confirmed the departure of German international Emre Can, as a move to Serie A champions Juventus looms.

Liverpool have announced that German midfielder Emre Can will leave the club at the end of this month, when his contract expires, on their official website.

The Merseysiders released their Premier League retention list following the conclusion of the 2017/18 season, confirming the departure of a number of players in the process, including the 24-year old Can.

The German international joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2014 after the Reds activated his £9.75 million release clause. Can did not make immediate impact at Anfield under then manager Brendan Rodgers, but grew into prominence once compatriot and current boss Jurgen Klopp took charge of the club in October 2015.

Can went on to make 167 appearances for Liverpool, with the last one of those coming in the finals of the UEFA Champions League last season, when his side were beaten 3-1 by Real Madrid. He went on to feature 38 times over the course of the 2017/18 campaign, scoring 6 goals in the process and setting up five more, but missed a number of games towards the business end of the season due to injury.

Bidding adieu (Photo courtesy - Alexander Hassenstein/Bongarts/Getty Images)
Bidding adieu (Photo courtesy – Alexander Hassenstein/Bongarts/Getty Images)

The twenty-time capped German international has been a subject of intense transfer speculation since entering the final year of his contract last summer.

Italian champions Juventus had made no secret of their interest in the midfielder and had made several attempts to sign him last summer and in the January transfer window as well. However, the Reds kept knocking back the Bianconeri in hope that they will be able to convince Can to stay at the club.

At one point, there were rumours that even European champions Real Madrid too were keen on signing the 24-year old. However, it is all but certain that Can will be heading to Turin to link up with international teammate Sami Khedira in Juve’s midfield.

While his departure, on a free transfer that too, will have hurt the fans, the fact that Liverpool are more than well-equipped to replace him next season will have subsided the pain to a great extent.

The Merseysiders had already agreed a deal to sign Naby Keita last summer, with the Guinean midfielder set to arrive next month, while they have also managed to land Brazilian defensive midfielder Fabinho from French Ligue 1 side AS Monaco in a £43.7 million deal.

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