Liverpool are increasingly optimistic that midfielder Emre Can remain at Anfield beyond next season (Daily Mail). The future of the midfielder has been highly speculated over the last few months. Since joining the club from Bayer Leverkusen, Can has grown in stature as a player to the point where he is now regarded as one of the important members of the squad. Yet, he has been refusing to sign a new contract with the club. His existing deal runs out next season and there is nervousness at Anfield, as he remains a key part of the squad.
Juventus have been linked (According to Il Messaggero) with the player throughout the campaign, and it is believed that they are ready to make a move for the 23-year-old after having just failed to win the Champions League for the second time in three seasons. One of the issues with Can signing a new deal was reported to be his wages. The player wanted £100,000-a-week in wages whereas Liverpool were only offering just over half this figure. However, Can recently cleared (Sky Sports) the misconceptions by saying that the rumours about wages being the hindrance are not true.
Can’s persistence to say no to a contract offer from Liverpool is surprising considering that we have just qualified for the Champions League. A return to the Premier European competition has been seen as a vital part in not just attracting the best players from across the world but also to retain the top players at Anfield. Even though the talks have been going on for a long time, it is believed that Liverpool officials are growing increasingly confident about Can agreeing to a new deal. If not, he may be sold to the Italian outfit for around £26 million, which would still represent a healthy profit on the player.
After coming through the ranks at Bayern Munich, Can made his name at Bayer Leverkusen before coming to English football in 2014. Any manager would appreciate the presence of a player like Can considering that he is extremely versatile. Even in the last three years, he has played in a variety of roles including central defence and right back. He comes on the back of a mediocre campaign after having spent a significant chunk of the season on the sidelines. However, his excellent overhead kick against Watford has just been named as the Goal of the Season on Match of the Day.
Overall, Can made 40 appearances in all competitions while managing to score 5 goals in the process.
