The Emre Can Liverpool Transfer Saga.

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Emre Can might not be everyone's favourite player but that doesn't change the fact that he might walk out of Liverpool on a free in the summer having rejected the club's £85,000 weekly contract extension. Having joined Liverpool in 2011, Can hasn't been an ideal signing although he has improved every season as well as still only 23 years of age. Arriving as a defensive midfielder for €10m in the summer of 2011 from Bayer Leverkusen , the German found it difficult to dislodge Lucas as well as Jordan Henderson who is regularly preferred ahead of him. Such has been Can's inability to secure a regular starting berth that he has played in almost every midfield position as well as defence.

Liverpool inability to convince him to extend his contract might see them lose around €30m-€40m from his sales as he already has earned 20 caps for Germany and regularly improving in every game. Strong, runner, scorer of odd and exquisite goals as well as ability to shoot accurate long range shots; Can is miles ahead his peers who cannot even get game time in less big clubs . With his agents insisting on a release clause before he extends and Liverpool unable to consent to that due to the consequent problem of other players demanding for the same before extending. This is also not the best period for Liverpool to be losing players having lost Philipe Coutinho to Barcelona. The Reds have become a selling club of recent and most be commended for not allowing the Turk's agent dictate terms for them but also the club must be sure they are on the right side. Refusing to insert an exit clause for Can now and losing him for nothing and then turning back to insert the same thing for another player in the near future will only made them worse. Simply put , Liverpool must be sure this policy of not inserting release clauses is sustained as this was the main reason Barcelona were made to pay so much for Coutinho (€160m) as a release clause would have meant they might not have received such huge fee.

Although he has shown the bright side of his game, the midfielder slows down the pace of the game and also losses concentration rushing into tackles recklessly. At his age, he should be praised for raising his game and must move to a club that will afford him the patience and guidance to peak just like Juventus did with the likes of Paul Pogba, Leonardo Bonucci and Arturo Vidal.

Naby Keita is only a few months from joining Liverpool and at such is a big upgrade when compared to Can but at the same time both could play in the same system which makes it more difficult for the Red fans as the potential loss of Can and Coutinho far outweighs the gains of Mohammed Salah, Virgil Van Dijk and Naby Keita. Liverpool must decide the right thing to do; lose Can on a free and make a big statement or bow to his demand and make €30m and above but lose some power in player extensions in the future.