Juventus talks with Liverpool midfielder Can 'well underway'

Joe Wright

Juventus talks with Liverpool midfielder Can 'well underway' image

Talks between Juventus and Liverpool midfielder Emre Can are progressing well, according to the Serie A champions' chief executive Giuseppe Marotta.

The Germany international has long been linked with a move to Turin and is free to discuss terms with the club as he has entered the final six months of his contract at Anfield.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admitted to DAZN on Saturday there was a good chance Can would allow his contract to run down rather than sign an extension, although he insisted the player would not leave during the January transfer window.

Marotta appears confident of striking a deal with the 24-year-old but says they are far from finalising an agreement.

"We are in optimum position to achieve all the objectives we have set out," he told RMC Sport.

"Talks are well underway with Emre Can, but the negotiations are not at all concluded."

Speaking over the weekend, Klopp said: "He'll stay beyond the winter. Emre is still a young lad but he has developed into a great player and is very important for us.

"Sometimes a player just wants to sit out his contract. That's not cool for the club, but there are moments in which you have to accept it.

"And as long as the player behaves like Emre does, then I have absolutely nothing to complain about. He gives everything he has and identifies with the club."

Can has made 19 appearances in the Premier League this season, scoring once, while he was also involved in the 3-2 FA Cup defeat to West Brom at the weekend.

Joe Wright

Joe Wright Photo

Joe is a Senior Editor at Sporting News. He was previously a sub editor and writer for Goal.com before spending six years as part of the Stats Perform editorial news service, covering major global sports including football, tennis, boxing, NBA, rugby union and athletics. Joe has reported live on some of the biggest games in football, including two UEFA Champions League finals, Euro 2016, the Confederations Cup 2017 and the 2018 World Cup final at the end of a month in Russia.