The speculations regarding Emre Can’s future seems to have a conclusion finally as the player is all set to depart this summer when his contract at Liverpool will expire. The club tried to tie down the German international and had repeated discussions with his entourage. However, their demands were not met and the player is now free to leave on a Bosman transfer.
It was previously reported that Can has asked to insert a release clause in his contract to keep his options open for the future. Liverpool, however, have maintained a strong stance while negotiating contracts in recent years and declined to keep any such clauses while agreeing to terms. It will jeopardize club’s standpoint if the German’s demands are met as others will also ask for the same while discussing new terms. Can has been chased by Juventus repeatedly and although there are reports of Manchester City and Real Madrid’s interest, the midfielder is likely to ply his trade to Turin to sign for the Old Lady.
One latest report, meanwhile, has claimed that Can’s preposterous wage demands of £200,000-a-week were not met by club officials as they disagreed to make him club’s highest earner. The 24-year-old star has made 162 appearances so far for Liverpool since completing his £9.75 million summer move from Bayer Leverkusen back in 2014. Although a midfielder, Brendan Rodgers, the former Reds boss, mostly used Can as a right centre-back in his three-man back-line. The versatile German improved immensely since Jurgen Klopp’s arrival at Merseyside who restored him in his usual central midfield role and soon made him a first-team regular due to his physicality and combative approach in the middle of the park.
The player undeniably has justified his role and currently at his career peak, but, at the same time, the Reds have multiple midfield options in their ranks and the likes of Jordan Henderson, James Milner, and Georginio Wijnaldum have performed with distinction in a similar role. Moreover, their midfield strength will be enhanced with Naby Keita’s arrival and Can is definitely not someone who can’t be replaced at a club of Liverpool stature who got decent financial backing with ‘Coutinho Money’ yet to be spent. Klopp, the former Borussia Dortmund gaffer, used his Bundesliga influence to tie down Leon Goretzka of Schalke 04, but the German medio could not overcome the enticing opportunity of joining FC Bayern Munchen and now agreed to play for the Bavarians from next season onwards. He too was out of contract this summer and could have been a like-for-like replacement of Liverpool’s German panzer.
The Reds, nevertheless, are actively pursuing Can’s replacement already and sighted Napoli’s Jorginho, Leicester City’s Wilfred Ndidi and Nice’s Jean-Michael Seri as the new ‘number 6’. The player, however, has been thoroughly professional despite uncertainties. Klopp has no complaints regarding his dedication and commitment and losing him for free will be a massive disappointment in today’s inflated market. But again, Liverpool have done plenty of ‘balancing the book’ in recent years and should try to spend as much as the Manchester clubs to be in title contention. There are plenty of quality resources available in the market who will be an upgrade to Emre Can and it will be wiser to invest in them over agreeing to the German’s ridiculous demands.
