Juventus CEO Giuseppe Marotta has appeared to confirm recent reports suggesting Emre Can will sign for the club after the Champions League final.
Liverpool will be looking to add their sixth European Cup in Kiev next Saturday, with current holders and 12-time winners Real Madrid lying in wait for Jurgen Klopp’s side.
Can, who has been sidelined since mid-March with a back injury has missed the last eleven games in a Reds shirt, with speculation increasing over the past few months that he may have played his last game on Merseyside.
The former Leverkusen man is a surprise inclusion in the travelling squad for this week’s training camp in Marbella, with Klopp saying “having him in the group is always good”, whilst there is “still a little bit of work to do” on his fitness should he stand a chance of an appearance against Real.
Despite Can harbouring hopes of featuring in the final, his trip to Marbella is very likely to end up being merely a last farewell to his Liverpool teammates. The 24-year-old is still set to depart Anfield following the expiry of his contract at the end of June.
Reports this week claimed he is set to sign a five-year deal worth around £85,000 a week with Juventus, who have been heavily linked with the midfielder for months.
Goal’s Neil Jones reported that confirmation of the deal is likely to take place following Liverpool’s crucial fixture against Real next weekend, presumably to avoid unwanted distractions ahead of a decisive clash.
Juventus’ chief Marotta seemed to confirm that this is likely to happen, as he said the club are hopeful of announcing his signing next week.
“In the past year, there is great optimism regarding Emre Can,” he told Mediaset Premium, speaking ahead of Juve’s 2-1 win at home to Verona.
“We hope to confirm his signing after the Champions League final.”
Despite his injury woes keeping him sidelined for the best part of two months, Can has enjoyed a career-high of six goals and five assists to his name this campaign.
With Can’s inevitable exit, Jurgen Klopp is expected to add more midfield reinforcements this summer, alongside incoming Naby Keita, who arrives from RB Leipzig in July for a fee of £52.75m, as agreed last year.
Meanwhile, Lyon’s Nabil Fekir has been linked with a move to Liverpool in recent weeks, with Canal+ being the latest to claim on Saturday that a deal between two clubs is “99% done” and the attacking midfielder had played his last game for the French side.
Fekir, who set up Memphis Depay for Lyon’s equaliser in a 3-2 win over Nice on Saturday to confirm Champions League football for next season, is expected to cost around £62 million.
Speaking following the fixture, he said: “I think I gave everything in Lyon. Now, it’s time to look into the future.”
