Jurgen Klopp insists Liverpool are in good talks with Emre Can and is confident the midfielder wants to stay at Anfield.
The 23-year-old, who joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth £9.75million in 2014, is out of contract at the end of next season.
Can said this week that negotiations over a new deal did not hinge on money after reports claimed a previous round of talks broke down due to his £100,000-per-week wage demands.
And Klopp is also optimistic Can wants to stay at Liverpool for the long-term, with discussions still taking place.
Yes, we are in talks, said Liverpool boss Klopp ahead of Sunday s Premier League trip to play Manchester City.
They are good because Emre likes to be here. We really like him as a person and …
Lionel Messi s future at Barcelona is seemingly getting more and more uncertain.
Messi, who is contracted until 2021, has been linked with a move away from the LaLiga giants after their capitulation in the Champions League and trophy-less 2019-20 season.
And the arrival of Ronald Koeman as coach has done little to ease the concerns.
TOP STORY – MESSI EXPRESSES DOUBT OVER BARCELONA FUTURE
Messi expressed doubts over his future at Barcelona in his first meeting with Koeman, according to widespread reports in Spain.
Marca reports the six-time Ballon d Or winner sees himself more out than in at Barca.
Me veo más fuera que dentro
— MARCA (@marca)
According to Mundo Deportivo, however, Messi sees an exit as com…
Claudio Ranieri says he is stimulated to return to management amid speculation linking him with the vacant jobs at Crystal Palace and Watford.
The 65-year-old has been installed as the favourite for the Palace role following Sam Allardyce s surprise resignation on Tuesday and remains a candidate for the position at Watford after the departure of Walter Mazzarri.
Ranieri led Leicester City to a stunning Premier League title success in 2015-16, only to be sacked in February with the Foxes enduring a miserable defence of their crown.
But the Italian is ready to return and revealed he is optimistic he will be in a job by the start of next season.
I hope so, he said. I m very stimulated to make another great season.
Asked about the Watford vacancy, …
Laurent Blanc says France s much-criticised striker Karim Benzema is simply not used to working , in an interview to be published in the France-Soir newspaper on Thursday.
The Real Madrid goalscorer has been upbraided by his club coach Jose Mourinho for being lazy, and France manager Blanc said his attitude could be explained by the company he keeps.
Asked if Benzema didn t work enough, Blanc replied: He s not used to working.
When you re face to face with the person, he listens. But even attentive, receptive players, when they go out in the street they meet people who tell them: You re the best, you play for Real Madrid, you don t need to work .
These are false friends.
Blanc has made little secret of his desire to build his France team aroun…
Xavi believes Barcelona are still in the race for the LaLiga title ahead of their clash with Mallorca on Friday.
The Catalan club sit eight points off league leaders Real Madrid going into the final 11 matches of the campaign.
Boss Xavi admitted his side have not given up on retaining their title.
“I don’t think LaLiga is lost,” Xavi told reporters.
“Tomorrow we have another opportunity to get closer to five points behind Real Madrid and be ahead of Girona. LaLiga is not lost, and we’re not throwing in the towel.”
Xavi on Barça’s chances to win La Liga: We’re not going to throw in the towel, we are going to battle until the end.
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona)
Pedri will miss the home clash after picking up ano…
Newcastle United have been boosted by the news that combative midfielder Cheick Tiote wants to continue playing for the club.
Tiote has become one of the Premier League s most sought-after players since arriving from Eredivisie outfit FC Twente in 2010, attracting reported interest from the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United.
Despite having a long list of suitors, the Ivory Coast international has no intention of following in the footsteps of Yohan Cabaye, who departed for Paris Saint-Germain during the January transfer window.
Newcastle is like a family, Tiote said in an interview with UK newspaper Metro.
I ve been here four years and love playing for the club, it s the best thing I have ever done in my career and I hope I continue to give my best for the cl…
PSV Eindhoven are stepping up their efforts to sign Belgian midfielder Steven Defour from FC Porto, .
The Dutch giants have been hot on the trail of the former Anderlecht star for quite a while now and they are keen on luring him to Phillips Stadium this summer.
The good news is that the player himself is interested in moving to the Netherlands, but it remains to be seen if PSV can find an agreement with his employers.
Defour may be on the books of Porto, but he is partly owned by Doyen Sports Group, a well-known investment company.
“We are going to see whether it is feasible,” PSV technical director Marcel Brands told Voetbal International.
“We have not received any indications, apart from Defour himself. He would like to join PSV, which i…
Bayern Munich have agreed a deal to sign Stuttgart full-back Benjamin Pavard at the end of the season, the club s sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic has announced.
Pavard played a key role in France s World Cup win at Russia 2018 and reports of a move to Bayern have persisted since, although both parties have previously denied any agreement.
Salihamidzic has now confirmed that terms have been agreed for a switch come the end of the season, with Pavard to sign a deal that will keep him at Bayern until 2024.
I can confirm that Benjamin Pavard will join us on a five-year deal from July 1, 2019, he told reporters in Doha.
Pavard is contracted to Stuttgart for another two years, but Salihamidzic did not disclose details of a fee for the 22-year-old.
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Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold has signed a new long-term contract at the club, with reports suggesting the deal will keep him at Anfield until 2024.
The 20-year-old said he was ecstatic and really proud after committing his future to Liverpool in the same week that fellow full-back Andrew Robertson penned a new deal.
Alexander-Arnold made his senior Liverpool debut in October 2016 and has since become an integral part of Jurgen Klopp s team, featuring in 17 of the Reds 22 Premier League games this season.
He told the club s official website: I feel privileged to have the support and the trust the club has in me to offer me a new deal.
When it comes to playing football, there is only one club for me. After 14 years at I am so happy to sign a …
The Republic of Ireland Under-21s’ friendly against Kuwait Under-22s was one of two international matches abandoned on Monday due to allegations of racist abuse.
The Football Association of Ireland announced that their match in Bad Radkersburg, Austria, was brought to premature conclusion in the second half with Jim Crawford’s men leading 3-0.
Meanwhile, New Zealand’s match against Qatar, coincidentally also in Austria, was abandoned at half-time when New Zealand refused to take to the field after no action was taken over an alleged racist remark.
The FAI regrets to announce that today’s U21 international against Kuwait has been abandoned after a racist remark was made by a Kuwaiti player towards one of our substitutes.
— Ireland Football (@Irel…