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“It is no secret how much I like him. He likes the club and we are in talks. There is no pressure.”

That was Jurgen Klopp , speaking with a smile on his face on May 5.

A month later, and Liverpool'sEmre Can situation remains unchanged. The German played his part in the Reds' end of season push for a top-four finish, but those 'talks' Klopp referenced have yet to bear fruit.

Can is due to enter the final year of his contract next month, and as yet there is no sign of an extension being agreed. The reports of interest from elsewhere are starting to resurface, with Juventus linked this weekend.

Time to worry?

Not quite. Liverpool remain relaxed, relatively speaking at least, about the situation. They believe that the player wants to commit his future to the club, and are continuing to hold discussions with his representatives in order to find an agreement. The 'pressure' to which Klopp referred is yet to appear.

Can insisted back in March that the stand-off was not about money, although expecting him to say otherwise would be naive in the extreme.

“I am very happy here,” he stated. “In the future I hope to play for many years at Liverpool.”

Can, it is understood, is looking for a contract worth around £100,000 a week, around double what he currently earns. He is also keen to receive assurances over exactly where he stands in Klopp's plans going forward. Liverpool, remember, are in the market for at least one big-money central midfielder this summer.

He showed during the final weeks of this campaign what an asset he can be. Having been hampered by back, calf and knee issues earlier in the season, he turned in some big performances as the Reds got over the line in the race for the Champions League.

His spectacular winner at Watford was a key moment, but equally impressive were his showings against the likes of Everton and West Brom, where Liverpool had to dog out wins with aggression and discipline as much as skill.

He ended the season looking strong and at home, a central figure clear on his role in the team.

That hasn't always been the case - remember Stoke at the end of the 2014/15 campaign? - but at 23 such development is to be expected. This is, after all, a full German international and a player schooled by Bayern Munich.

There are still inconsistencies in his game - a tendency to carry the ball when he should pass it remains, and he concedes too many fouls generally – and there is still a debate as to exactly where his best position is. Liverpool have used him as a No.6 and a No.8 this season, and you could make a case for both.

Plenty remain unconvinced, and would argue he is not currently in the Reds' strongest XI if everyone if fit and available.

But Can's best, undoubtedly, is still to come. Klopp's a fan, and knows that Liverpool's squad needs to be deeper and more competitive next season, when the club will aim to challenge for honours on four fronts. He likes his physicality, his confidence and his approach to the game. His standing in the dressing room has grown in the past 18 months; he's respected as a personality as much as a footballer.

Can heads to Russia later this month, selected by Germany for the Confederations Cup in Russia. Liverpool hope that a solution can be found before then – one which doesn't involve him departing. For Juventus or elsewhere.