Liverpool transfer news: Emre Can agrees free transfer, record bid for Coutinho and more - 5th January 2018
Emre Can reaches agreement in principle to join Juventus
According to Sky in Italy, Liverpool midfielder Emre Can has reached an agreement with Serie A giants Juventus over a free transfer after his contract at Anfield runs out in the summer. The Germany international was open to agreeing on a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs, having entered his final six months of the existing contract this month.
Juventus have been keeping tabs on the 23-year-old for quite some time now and it is believed that the player will be earning somewhere around £85,000-a-week at his new club. In addition to that, Can will also receive a signing bonus for joining the Old Lady on a free transfer.
The former Bayern Munich midfielder decided not to sign an extension after Liverpool were unwilling to accept his request to add a release clause to the player's new contract. However, the player will not be leaving Anfield in January and will see out the remainder of his contract with Liverpool.
An official announcement looks imminent after positive talks between Can's adviser and Juventus in Turin.
Barcelona preparing £140 million bid for Philippe Coutinho
Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho is set to become Barcelona's record signing, according to various reports. The Reds received three bids from the Catalans in the summer for their star man but they held their ground by stating that the player is not up for sale. However, it is now believed that Coutinho is ready to force himself out of the club to sign up for the Blaugrana.
Albert Soler, director of football at Barcelona, claimed that his club pulled out of negotiations in the summer due to Liverpool demanding €200 million for Coutinho. However, desperate times called out for desperate measures and they signed Ousmane Dembele from Borussia Dortmund for an initial fee of €105 million instead.
Despite all that has happened already in this saga, Barcelona believe that Coutinho is a priority signing and are now willing to break the transfer record for the second time in six months.
"We are financially prepared to sign Coutinho or any other player the technical staff request [in January]," CEO Oscar Grau said in October. "We want to have the most competitive squad possible. The club will be sustainable; we don't want losses. If that is the case, we will look for means to generate income."
Besiktas want Daniel Sturridge to replace Cenk Tosun
According to reports, Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge is being courted by Besiktas who are willing to offer the player an escape route from Merseyside. The Turkish champions are set to lose out on their star striker Cenk Tosun, pending an official confirmation from Everton, and are now looking at Sturridge to fill his shoes at the club.
Sturridge has fallen down the pecking order at Liverpool and has been tipped with a move away from the club for a while now. If reports are to be believed, the 28-year-old will initially move on loan to the Super Lig outfit with an option to make it permanent in the summer for a reported fee of £13 million.
Several clubs in England including the likes of Southampton, Newcastle United and West Ham have also expressed their interest in the player after his overgrowing concern about the lack of regular first-team football that can derail his chances of making it to the England squad for the World Cup in Russia.