Rumour Mongering: Juventus Push for Emre Can Commitment Within Week

Or: how to find something new to say about a transfer saga in week 47 of it when there’s nothing new to say.

Emre Can has seemed a near-lock to end up at Juventus in the summer since at least last summer, but despite being free to sign a pre-contract with the Serie A side since January he has so far resisted—and there have been reports he doesn’t want to sign a deal while it would serve as a distraction from the current season at Liverpool.

Now, though, the rumour mongers in Italy—and at Gazzetta dello Sport in particular—are suggesting that’s a decision that is making Juventus a touch uncomfortable, worried that Can might not be such a done deal after all and that he might instead end up staying at Liverpool, going to another English club, or even joining Real Madrid.

As such, they claim there will be meetings with Can’s agent and that the player will be given a firm deadline. A week to decide if he signs a pre-contract with them, after which if he has not they will begin to look at alternatives—plans must be made for the summer, and uncertainty over where Can ends up cannot be allowed to continue.

If all of it is true, from the reasons for Can’s delay in signing through to the supposed ultimatum, it seems a tactic as likely as anything to backfire. But, of course, it may not be true; may not be anything more than the rumour mongers needing to find something new to say about a transfer saga there’s nothing new to say about.

Emre Can will, in the end, likely end up playing for Juventus next season. Emre Can, to all appearances, wants to keep his focus entirely on the current season until the end of it. Both statements seem fairly certain at this point. Whether Juventus are actually now setting deadlines or it’s just rumour mongering is harder to tell.

Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com