If anyone can, Emre Can

Ten facts about Emre Can - Liverpool's new German star

Emdad Rahman

1.    Liverpool signed their new starlet after meeting a buyout contract clause of £9.75 million.

 

2.    The Anfield new boy is not the only Emre Can of note. His namesake is the Chess Grand Master Emre Can, the 2011 Turkish Chess Champion.

 

3.    Can is of Turkish descent through both his parents. He was born in Frankfurt and represented Can was born in Frankfurt and began his footballing career with minnows SV Blau-Gelb Frankfurt at youth level before joining Bayern Munich.

 

4.    In 2012/13, Can made his breakthrough into the starting eleven at Bayern and made four appearances.

 

5.    Liverpool legend Sami Hyypiä shelled out £4 million to take the cultured defensive midfield lynchpin to Bayer Leverkusen. He scored three goals in 29 appearances for the Factory XI.

 

6.    Although Can has represented Germany internationally at all levels -  Under-15, U16, U17, U18, U19 and U21 level, as well as captaining the team in the U-17 World Cup in 2011, he has not yet been selected as a full international. The lack of a full cap leaves hope for the Turkish national team snatching him away although Can hopes to enjoy a long career with Germany, the country of his birth.

 

7.    Can's agent Reza Fazeli has a very good relationship with Brendan Rodgers and brokered the deals for Nuri Sahin and Samid Yesil.

 

8.    The 20 year old is very versatile and has been deployed in his favoured central midfield role as well as a centre back and in both full-back positions.

 

9.    Brendan Rogers beat Inter Milan to the signing of the new “Bastian Schweinsteiger.”

 

10. Apart from comparisons with the Schweinsteiger hairstyle, Can is also likened to Tony Kroos.