Liverpool legend Terry McDermott seems puzzled with the current contract situation of midfielder Emre Can. The German’s contract at Anfield expires at the end of the season and so far, he has failed to agree to an extension with the club.
Can’s contract extension talks seem to have stalled at the moment and should he not put pen to paper on a new deal in the upcoming months, he would become a free agent in the summer.
“That’s a strange one for me,” McDermott told Liverpool Echo.
“I can’t understand why he would want to leave Liverpool. I know that foreign players don’t have the same affinity with the club as local lads like Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Phil Thompson or myself. We were heartbroken when the day came that we had to move on.
“But Can is playing every week for a manager who trusts him, he’s earning a lot of money and he’s part of an exciting team.
“Maybe he thinks he can get more money elsewhere but walking away would be a gamble because Liverpool are getting better and better under Klopp.”
McDermott, who was a part of three European Cup winning teams in a famous Liverpool career which spanned from 1974 to 1982, feels Jurgen Klopp is the ideal man to bring back the club’s glory days.
“Jurgen is ideal for Liverpool,” he told Liverpool Echo.
“You can see the camaraderie between him and the players. Man-management is one of his big strengths and you can see how much the players enjoy playing for him. That close relationship can carry you a long way.
“I love his passion and some of the attacking football Liverpool have played this season has been sensational. When you think about where the club was when he took over and where they are now, there’s been improvement across the board.
“I know some people will look at it and say ‘he still hasn’t won anything’ but I’m confident that trophies will follow.
“You never want to lose to one of your main rivals but Liverpool were unlucky not to get a point at Old Trafford. We’re still in the top four in the league and in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. There’s a lot to play for between now and May.”
There are no second thoughts about Klopp’s pedigree. He has done a phenomenal job in the attacking department of our team, with Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane tearing defences apart this season with ease. But Liverpool’s Achilles heel remains the defence and unless Klopp addresses it, we won’t be able to reach the top.
