Juventus chief rules out January move for “most wanted” midfielder Can
Juventus director Fabio Paratici has ruled out the January sale of midfielder Emre Can, despite reported interest from Manchester United.
The Germany international joined the Serie A champions from Liverpool on a free transfer in 2018 but has so far struggled to hold down a regular starting place.
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- Can left Liverpool to join Juve on a free transfer in 2018.
- But the German has struggled for a regular starting place.
- Can has started just two Serie A games this season and was left out of Juve’s Champions League squad.
- Man Utd have been linked with him, while Everton have been linked with fellow struggler Adrien Rabiot.
- But Paratici insists both players remain “important” and that neither will be leaving in the near future.
Can was left out of the Juventus squad for the Champions League group stages earlier this season and has started just two Serie A games so far. Naturally, reports linking him with a move away from the club have become rife, with Man Utd becoming the most likely destination.
But Paratici has insisted Can is going nowhere in the current transfer window, maintaining the 25-year-old remains an “important” part of his project.
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“I can exclude Emre Can leaving, as he will certainly remain with us,’ he said. “On an international level, he is one of the most wanted players, but I think he can be important for our project.”
Rabiot also staying put, says Paratici
Another midfielder struggling to find his feet in Turin is Frenchman Adrien Rabiot.
The 24-year-old joined Juve from PSG on a free transfer back in July but has just six Serie A starts to his name for the club so far.
Everton, who recently appointed Carlo Ancelotti as their new manager – the man who gave Rabiot his senior PSG debut – have recently been linked with a move for him but just as he has done with Can, Paratici has taken a strong stance against selling the midfielder.
“Rabiot arrived here after not playing for eight months,” he added. “It’s only natural on a physical level he should take time to adapt. He paid the price for that, but he has done well when used.
“We are confident, he is an important player and a guarantee for Juve, not a question mark or a doubt. We have an important squad, with a lot of competition for places, and that’s how it should be at this level.”
Rabiot himself has also maintained he will remain at the club, tipping 2020 to be a “very good” year for him personally.
“It’s true that 2019 was a very good year for me,” he said. “I worked a lot, I joined Juventus and I think 2020 could be a positive year.
“I feel good physically, I follow the work that the coach tells us to do and I feel good here. I’m at the team’s disposal, I don’t have a problem with what side of the pitch I play at.”
