Juventus are set to use their Croatian midfielder Marko Pjaca as bait in their attempts to lure Liverpool into accepting an early deal for Emre Can when the transfer window opens next month. According to a report in Italy, the German international is hoping for a bumper new offer from the Reds and using his expiring deal at Anfield as a ploy to gain the upper hand in negotiations with the Merseysiders.
However, an agreement has not been reached yet with the Old Lady of Turin strongly linked with a move for the ex Bayern Munich man for quite some time now. The German midfielder can choose to talk to foreign clubs in January and run out his current contract with Liverpool and leave on a free transfer next summer. So the reigning Italian champions can enter into negotiations with the player as early as next month with regards to a potential pre-contract agreement.
The Reds find themselves in a weak position and the best they can hope for now is to accept a player in return for Can’s impending departure. Some sources are claiming that Juventus are set to offer Liverpool their Croatian winger Marko Pjaca in exchange for the German international’s services in January. The Croatian might be an excellent cover out on the flanks for Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane so it looks like an offer that the Reds can seriously consider.
Liverpool are currently having a rollercoaster of a season. They are wonderful going forward and possess one of the best attacks in European football. However, Jurgen Klopp’s men have struggled defensively away from Anfield which has seen them slump to 4th place in the Premier League standings. The lack of an out and out defensive midfielder has left their backline for dead at times during high profile matches as evidenced by their heavy defeats to Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur in the league.
However, they are still in a position to secure a top 4 place this season. Jurgen Klopp needs to recruit well in January to give his side a much-needed boost going into the second half of the season.
Marko Pjaca might be a good back-up for Liverpool’s wingers but he is certainly not going to be a like for like replacement for Emre Can in the Reds midfield. The 22-year-old has just made 4 appearances for the Serie A side and has bagged two goals and made three assists. There’s no doubt about his talent but he certainly won’t be able to solve some of the issues that Liverpool has been facing recently. Having said that, it might be a good deal for all parties involved given Can’s current contract situation at Liverpool.
It remains to be seen whether the two clubs can come to an agreement with regards to the futures of both players in January.
