Reds midfielder Emre Can has admitted that he could sign a pre-contract with another club in January and has not decided whether he will stay put at Liverpool.
Can’s current contract with the Reds is set to expire at the end of the season and the German star has reportedly demanded a mammoth wage packet to stay put at Liverpool.
Since arriving at Anfield from Bayer Leverkusen, Can has displayed good from and has become one of the key players for the Reds with Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp desperate to tie him down to a new deal.
The German midfielder will be a free agent next summer and has been heavily linked with a move to defending Serie A champions Juventus.
Reports claim that Manchester City are also interested in Can and could make a move for the Germany international at the end of the season.
Can remains a long-term target of Juventus and reports in Italy claim that his international team-mate Sami Khedira is leaving no stones unturned to convince the Liverpool star to join him in Turin.
According to earlier reports, Can has made it clear that he will only stay put if the Reds offer him a wage packet of around £150,000-a-week – which is double the amount that he currently takes home – but the Liverpool bosses are not ready to match his wage demands.
When asked whether he will stay put at Liverpool at the end of the season, Can said: “Why do you ask me this?
“Really, I concentrate on this season and let my agent handle all the rest.”
When asked whether the contract dispute is all about the money, Can added: “It is not about money, that’s all I can say.
“Yes I could (sign a pre-contract with another club next month), but tomorrow I could also sign for Liverpool. We’ll see.”
But it is understood that Klopp is a huge admirer of Can and his game style and it is being said that the former Dortmund boss will give his best to keep him – despite the arrival of Naby Keita next summer.
Can made his 100th Premier League appearance during Liverpool’s 3-0 win over Stoke in midweek.