Emre Can to decide on Liverpool future at end of season

LIVERPOOL

Liverpool midfielder Emre Can remains focused on playing for the Premier League club this campaign, saying that his agent had blocked all negotiations regarding his future until the end of the season.

Can, who has made 164 appearances since joining the club in 2014, is out of contract at Liverpool in June and is yet to sign a new deal, with media reports regularly linking the 24-year-old with a move to Italian champions Juventus.

“Of course I have to think about my footballing future,” Can is quoted as saying by the Liverpool Echo.

“I haven’t signed for any other club, I’m just focused on this season. We want to finish in second place in the Premier League, we’re in the Champions League quarter-finals and we want to progress. That’s all I’m focused on now.

“My agent has blocked all negotiations, I’m thinking only of football.”

The German international impressed in Tuesday’s 0-0 draw with Porto in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie at Anfield as Liverpool advanced with a 5-0 aggregate win.

With four ties still to be completed next week, defending champions Real Madrid, Juventus and runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City have already booked their places in the Champions League quarter-finals.

The draw for the last eight will take place on March 16.

“Let’s see who we will get in the quarter-finals,” Can added. “We did our job and we are through the round. I prefer to not play an English team, but I don’t care who.

“I don’t like to talk about the future but if we continue like that in this form, we can see ourselves in the final.”

Liverpool has won three consecutive league games to sit in third position, two points behind second-placed Manchester United as they prepare to face its bitter rival at Old Trafford on March 10.