With Emre Can widely expected to leave Liverpool at the end of the season, supporters have been left perplexed, and disappointed, by the news.
Reports on Thursday evening were not positive for the Reds, with the Mail‘s Dominic King claiming Can will almost certainly exit Anfield next summer.
Contract talks with the 23-year-old have stalled in the last 18 months, and it look increasingly as though that he will not sign a new deal.
Perhaps the biggest negative about this whole scenario is that Can would be able to leave on a free transfer which, given his huge potential, is a big blow.
Liverpool owners FSG are sure to come under the microscope once again, as the Reds look on the verge of losing another important figure.
When Can is top of his game, he can be one of the most dominant midfielders in the Premier League, and with his 24th birthday still a few months away, there is so much more to come from him.
Liverpool supporters have been reacting to the news on social media—it’s fair to say that many are not exactly over the moon, though some took a rational view.
Setting personal feelings aside, from a business POV letting Can leave for nothing makes very little sense.
— Sam McGuire (@SamMcGuire90) November 2, 2017
Can is Liverpool’s best midfielder, not that it’s hard, and knowing they’ll lose him for nothing when he’s on the cusp of his peak is awful
— John O'Sullivan (@NotoriousJOS) November 3, 2017
https://twitter.com/joel_archie/status/926218106262966272
“Emre still has a bad passing game and decision making sometimes but I would not want to miss his physical presence for the PL games.”
– GermanRed on the forums.
https://twitter.com/IndigoLFC/status/926217592469098496
https://twitter.com/JurgenCanKarius/status/926224043736485888
I should be more gutted about the Can news – huge potential, winning mentality etc – but he does still irritate me. Far from irreplaceable.
— Henry Jackson (@HenryJackson87) November 2, 2017
Looks like 2018 will see Emre Can out, and Naby Keita in ?? pic.twitter.com/iZpAQusf7p
— The Redmen TV (@TheRedmenTV) November 3, 2017
“Love Emre, but he’s hardly been so consistent that Juve will be rushing to sign him. A nice goal against pissant competition is hardly world-beating. had Emre been playing in a deeper role, more appropriate to how he might play the game, he might have developed better. He’ll go as it looks now, he’s not signing anything. And I doubt he’ll get what he wants from the next club.”
– spizfromoz on the forums.
Losing emre can on a free next year… Disgrace
— Gee (@Gee_Lakinx) November 3, 2017
https://twitter.com/anaIdirgeprat/status/926243989241696256
Lose Can on a free and sign Goretzxa on a free. I'd be more than happy with that. I made my peace with Emre leaving months ago.
— Ian Mc (@McGlynnimino) November 2, 2017
I'd be gutted if Liverpool lost certain players but Emre Can isn't one of them, good player but nothing special. Wouldn't be a major loss.
— ' (@GerrardsPrime) November 2, 2017
#Can has some faults yes, but he's yet to even hit his prime. Losing him is a big fail by #FSG. Our transfer strategy is very incoherent.
— LFCZA ?? (@LFCZA) November 3, 2017
The situation was summed up in an interesting back-and-forth…
I've generally been quite supportive of the way FSG operate but losing Emre Can on a free transfer age 24 would be their biggest failure yet
— Dan Kennett (@DanKennett) November 2, 2017
I can get behind buy young, develop and sell high.
I can't get behind playing someone for 170 games age 20-24 to leave for nothing— Dan Kennett (@DanKennett) November 2, 2017
Especially when 69p of every £1 you make is going on player wages, much of it on massively overpaying mediocre talent
— Dan Kennett (@DanKennett) November 2, 2017
Some good points Dan but he has been offered a very good deal. The kind of clause he wants in deal would set a bad precedent
— keith costigan (@KeithCostigan) November 2, 2017
I think the bad precedent counter argument is pretty lame. Losing him for £0 after investing so much would be a disaster for FSG's model
— Dan Kennett (@DanKennett) November 3, 2017
You think they want to? So agree to demands and handcuff yourself in future deals?
— keith costigan (@KeithCostigan) November 3, 2017
It doesn't matter what they want. Developing a player aged 21-24 for 170 apps and losing for free is a disaster. We can't hide from that.
— Dan Kennett (@DanKennett) November 3, 2017
What do you make of Can’s situation? Have your say on our forums here.
Fan Comments