Juventus midfielder Emre Can said he owes a debt of gratitude to Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp for the treatment he received until he left on a free transfer last month.
Can’s contract with Liverpool expired in June, and he subsequently signed signed a four-year deal with Juve after months of courtship.
The midfielder made 33 appearances in all competitions last season with Liverpool, the Champions League runners-up, after joining the club in 2014, and he said he is thankful Klopp retained that trust in him.
“Not a lot of managers would let you play so many times when you are in the final year of your contract,” Can told BBC Sport. “But I always did my best. I always wanted to help the team. That is what he saw. That is why he kept faith with me.”
Can said his relationship with Klopp “was always good” and that the manager “wished me all the best when I told him I was leaving.”
With Juve, Can will have a chance to return to the Champions League final — something the club have done twice in the last four years.
They have not, however, won the competition since 1996, and Can was recruited to the club in an effort to finally capture that elusive title.
“I had options to join many teams around England and Italy but Juventus [called] so many times,” Can said. “They wanted me.”
Emre Can joined Juventus last month after four years at Liverpool.
The pitch was similar to that Juve made to Cristiano Ronaldo, who was eventually lured away from Real Madrid after nine seasons in a €100 million move earlier this month.
“It is amazing to play with such a big player, maybe the best player in the world,” Can said about Ronaldo. “You only have to see what he did in the last few years and how many goals he scored.
“It is nice we are going to be on the same team, although the other teams in Italy are not so happy about that.”
Be the first to comment