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Liverpool FC's summer rebuilding is gathering pace after they announced the £10m signing of Emre Can from Bayer Leverkusen.

The 20-year-old will move to Anfield when the European transfer window officially re-opens on July 1, subject to documentation, after the Reds agreed to meet the buy-out clause in his contract.

Can, a German U21 international, becomes Brendan Rodgers’ second signing of the summer, as Liverpool look to improve upon a squad that came so close to landing the Premier League title last season.

Rickie Lambert, the England striker, has already signed on, and more arrivals are expected. Bids have been lodged for Alberto Moreno, the Sevilla left back, and Southampton captain Adam Lallana, with the £16m deal for Moreno believed to be edging closer to completion.

Reds officials had feared the deal for Can, who can operate as a left back as well as in midfield, was on the verge of collapse last weekend, with the club unable to agree personal terms with the player. The ECHO understands the hold-up was to do with contractual clauses, rather than wages.

But following lengthy discussions, a suitable compromise was reached, and Can will now join up with his new teammates for pre-season training at Melwood next month.

Michael Schade, the Bayer Leverkusen chief executive, offered his best wishes to the departing midfielder.

He said: “Emre Can has developed very quickly at Bayer 04 Leverkusen over the past twelve months. We wanted to keep Emre at Leverkusen but the release clause is part of his contract. So we wish him all the best and lots of success in his time in the Premier League.”

Can began his career at Eintracht Frankfurt before moving to Bayern Munich as a youngster. He made just four appearances for the Bavarian giants, scoring one goal, before signing for Bayer Leverkusen last summer. He made a total of 39 appearances last season, scoring four times.

Meijer, Voronin and Yesil – Can Emre go fourth to break the Bayer jinx?

Fourth time lucky? Liverpool will certainly hope so. Emre Can’s imminent arrival at Anfield is the fourth time the Reds have signed a player from Bayer Leverkusen.

The previous three names make for grim reading. Strikers Erik Meijer and Andriy Voronin endured – how shall we say it? – “mixed” spells on Merseyside, while Samed Yesil arrived as a teenage prodigy, but has seen his career put on hold by two serious injuries since.

So is Can the man to break the Bayer jinx? Brendan Rodgers thinks so. The Reds boss identified the 20-year-old at the beginning of last season as the kind of player who could improve his squad; hungry, versatile and with scope to improve. Liverpool’s recruitment team have worked hard to deliver for the manager.

Negotiations were tough, with the player’s contractual situation meaning any deal was always likely to be complicated. At more than one point in the last few weeks, Liverpool have believed the move was on the verge of collapse.

Bayern Munich believed they held the first option to sign Can, but the fact that Leverkusen were selling the player to a foreign club would appear to have overridden that clause. Reports in Germany suggest Bayern may receive up to £1m in compensation from their Bundesliga rivals.

Liverpool, meanwhile, have worked hard to agree personal terms with the player. The deal will go through on July 1, by which time the club hope to have made progress on a number of other transfers. This will certainly not be the last ‘in’ at Anfield.

Rodgers and his team were determined to move quickly this summer. And with Can joining Rickie Lambert, as well as the plethora of returning loan players, Liverpool’s squad already looks stronger than it did at the end of the last campaign.

Of course moving quickly does not always mean moving correctly. This time last year, the Reds spent around £14m on two players they felt could improve things. Both were talked up but, as yet, neither Iago Aspas nor Luis Alberto have had the desired effect. Both, in fact, could leave the club this summer.

As for Can, the Germany U21 star should, if scouting reports are to be believed, add depth and quality to the Reds’ midfield options.

He has enjoyed a stellar first full campaign in the Bundesliga, and gained valuable Champions League experience along the way. He can pass the ball, he can tackle, and his versatility makes him a more valuable squad player than, say, a Lucas Leiva or an Aly Cissokho.

It may take time for him to establish himself as a starter, and there will be some who are sceptical given some of the Reds’ recent signings from abroad, but Can would appear to have the talent to be a success in the Premier League. Especially if he can improve the weaker areas of his game – his heading, the general speed of his play, and his tactical discipline.

In any case, he doesn’t have too much to live up to. Start well, and Liverpool might be able to banish the memories of Voronin and Meijer. Might.

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