The news of their midfield man still not putting pen to paper our Liverpool fans here in the Transfer Tavern are beginning to resign themselves to the fact they could lose a player on a free.

Emre Can is still yet to sign a new deal with Liverpool despite starting negotiations back in 2016, our punters say the German midfielder could leave on a free come summer and start looking at new clubs as soon as this January window. Despite the obvious urgency to get this deal over the line the two parties are still at a deadlock supposedly over a clause in the contract wanted on Can’s half.

Our regular Liverpudlian’s think that Can will be a huge miss in the Liverpool midfield with his box to box style and ability to create a moment of brilliance like the goal against Watford last season.

With this in mind, Klopp will find it quite hard to replace him but our landlord has come up with three players that might fit the bill…

Mousa Dembele

The Belgian is regarded as one of the best box-to-box midfielders around and receives many a plaudit from his teammates in interviews and it’s very easy to see why.

Indeed, his excellent dribbling skills and ability to maintain possession is one of the reasons his one of the first names on the Spurs team sheets, it’d have to take a big bid to make Daniel Levy’s head turn.

Still, what he’d bring to Liverpool’s midfield really could have a transformative effect on the rest of the first-team.

Leon Goretzka

Emre Can’s international teammate is in the same boat, funnily enough.

Leon Goretzka is available on a free come summer but Schalke could look to cash in come January, rather than lose one of Europe’s brightest talents on a free.

Goretzka has the ability to pick out a pass for his team mates and his long range shooting as been compared to that of Paul Scholes, standing at 6’2 his heading powers makes him a different player when he’s in the box.