Man Utd target reveals whether Liverpool factor will stop Old Trafford move

Juventus midfielder Emre Can has reportedly decided not to pursue a move to Manchester United due to his connections with former club Liverpool, according to a report.

United are short of midfielders having lost both Paul Pogba and Scott McTominay to injury, with boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said to have a new player in that area as a top priority for the January transfer window.

The injuries have left the Red Devils with Nemanja Matic, Fred, Jesse Lingard and Andreas Pereira as Solskjaer’s options but United have struggled in midfield in recent games, including when Lingard was hauled off at half-time in Tuesday’s defeat to Manchester City.

Recent reports have suggested that United are interested in bringing Can back to the Premier League, with the German struggling for game time under boss Maurizio Sarri.

The midfielder has made only eight Serie A appearances all season, with most of those coming from the substitutes’ bench.

However, Italian source Tuttosport says that Can has decided against moving to Old Trafford given that he has previous connections with United’s arch-rivals Liverpool.

Can moved to Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen in 2014 and made 167 appearances, scoring 14 goals and assisting 12 others.

The source also claims that United have since moved on from targeting Can after his plans were revealed, with Ajax’s Donny van de Beek now said to be a player Solskjaer is keen on.

Van de Beek, who was named in the 30-man shortlist for last year’s Ballon d’Or, has been one of the standout players in the Dutch side for the past few seasons.

Reports in The Times have said that United believe a significant offer could tempt Ajax into selling, with a £50m bid potentially expected in the next few days.

 

 

The Red Devils have also been linked with the likes of Leicester’s James Maddison and Newcastle’s Sean Longstaff, although both Brendan Rodgers and Steve Bruce have continued to dispel any speculation surrounding the players’ futures.

Elsewhere, United have reportedly decided against a move for Tottenham midfielder Christian Eriksen this month.

Eriksen’s contract at Spurs runs out in the summer and he has made no indication of extending his terms; in fact, he admitted that he was interested in finding a new challenge last summer.

According to Sky Sports News, however, United will not make a move for the 27-year-old in January, although it is not said whether a future move could happen.

Eriksen has been linked with Inter Milan and Real Madrid in the past few months.