Liverpool transfer news: Can doubts and Pastore rejection

It’s all gone relatively quiet at Anfield since they cashed in on Philippe Coutinho earlier this month, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. As Jurgen Klopp showed with Virgil Van Dijk, he isn’t prepared to settle for anything else but his preferred transfer targets. We round up the main stories associated to Liverpool over the past week.

‘Juventus reveal doubts in pursuit of Emre Can’

It is still widely expected that Emre Can will leave Liverpool at the end of the season when his current deal expires but the situation looks slightly better from Jurgen Klopp’s perspective that many anticipated at the start of the year.

Juventus have been pursuing Can’s signature since the summer and have made their admiration of the Germany international public on various occasions, even tabling a contract offer at the start of the month for the summer.

Reports emerged at the start of the year suggesting Can had even agreed terms with the Old Lady but the 24-year-old has since denied those claims and revealed he will wait until the end of the season before deciding on his future.

Juventus general manager Beppe Marotta on Tuesday conceded he is still unsure whether Can will join the Serie A giants in the summer, while also revealing other clubs are chasing his signature.

“The interest is clear. We want to try and bring him to us, but we cannot do it because he currently has a contract with Liverpool,” he told Italian broadcaster Premium Sport, via The Independent.

“He could renew it and, moreover, there are other teams interested in him. We want to try and bring him to Turin. I am stating this with full awareness that he might not arrive, but we need to have important objectives.”

Since the start of last season, only three Premier League players have committed more fouls than the German (90).

‘Javier Pastore turns down Liverpool option’

According to Gianluca Di Marzio, Liverpool, as well as Tottenham, had a bid turned down by Paris Saint-Germain for Javier Pastore this month as the 28-year-old only wants to return to Italy.

Liverpool sold Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona for a British transfer record earlier this month but appeared willing to wait until the end of the season before signing a replacement.

Thomas Lemar emerged as their first choice target but Liverpool appear resigned to the fact Monaco will not let him leave this month, but it has now emerged the Reds tried their arm for Pastore.

The 28-year-old is free to leave PSG this month after falling down the pecking order under Unai Emery and, according to reports, Tottenham and Liverpool have submitted bids ranging from €25m (£22m) to €40m (£35.1m).

However, the Argentine midfielder has already agreed terms with Inter and wants to return to Italy, seven years after leaving Palermo to join PSG.