Tying up Emre Can contract must be the next priority

With the Mohamed Salah deal sewn up Liverpool must make tying up Emre Can to a new long-term contract the next priority this summer.

In the midst of the endless stream of transfer rumors and speculation it can be easy to forget that the club has more work to do than to simply add new recruits. If the club want to push on to success in the elite competitions they need to invest in a quality core group of players. That group needs to have a balance of talents and experience. We need players in their mid-late twenties, the prime of their careers. We also need younger growing talent to challenge, compete and eventually replace their seniors.

The debate over who should start (Henderson or Can?) is the dilemma we should be having for every outfield position. Jordan Henderson at 27 in the prime of his career or Emre Can at 23-years-old who is improving all the time? This is why it is essential for the club to tie Emre Can to a long-term extension. Therefore, with 12 months left on his current contract, leaving next summer would be a set back for the club. At that point Henderson is 28 and we have no immediate challenger for his place. Any new addition would need to learn Klopp’s style and gel with the rest of the squad.

Emre Can has grown year on year. He has played as a center back, left back, the holding role and as a regular central midfielder. He has 11 international caps for Germany (their not bad, you know) and is a fixture in their squad. Serie A champions and Champions League runners-up Juventus are looking to sign him. There is no way we should even consider letting him walk in a year’s time. While we are out recruiting new players let’s not get too cute with the great ones we already have.