Liverpool agree £9.75m deal for Emre Can

Photograph: Zombio 

Bayer Leverkusen's Emre Can, left, in action against Manchester United in the Champions League.

Liverpool’s productive start to the summer transfer window has continued after the club agreed a deal in principle for the £9.75m signing of Emre Can from Bayer Leverkusen.

The 20-year-old midfielder is the second deal Liverpool have agreed this week, following the capture of Rickie Lambert for an initial £4.5m from Southampton on Monday, and the transfer is expected to be finalised on 1 July once documentation has been completed.

Liverpool triggered a €12m release clause in Can’s Leverkusen contract over a week ago. The Germany Under-21 international, of Turkish descent, scored four goals in 39 appearances for Leverkusen following his move from Bayern Munich last year and played an influential role in the team’s fourth-placed finish in the Bundesliga. A mini-slump had cost former Liverpool defender Sami Hyypia his job as Leverkusen head coach in April.

Bayern had a buy-back option on the Frankfurt-born player, who has operated as a holding midfielder and at left-back during his brief career, and were reportedly keen on taking Can back to Munich next summer. But the option did not apply to a sale outside Germany, enabling Liverpool to capitalise and Leverkusen to make a quick profit on the £4.4m they paid Bayern for Can last summer.

Source: The Guardian

By Andy Hunter