Liverpool looking to lure Leverkusen duo Son and Can to Anfield
Premier League leaders and title second-favourites Liverpool (6/5) are reportedly chasing Bayer Leverkusen young duo Emre Can and Heung-Min Son, as they look to build on their impressive campaign. Both players are valued at £12m apiece.
Although Liverpool slipped up to Chelsea, putting Manchester City now on the front foot for the top-flight trophy, their season aim of securing Champions League football for next term has already been assured.
Versatile Germany Under-21 international Can has featured heavily for Leverkusen since joining from Bayern Munich last summer, and been used in a number of positions in midfield, as well as left back.
The 20-year-old has a buy-back clause in his contract for his former side, but reports suggest Reds boss Brendan Rodgers is stepping up the interest.
Can’s clubmate Son, meanwhile, is in-demand from many of Europe’s top clubs, but Liverpool hope to lure the South Korean international to Anfield.
Son, 21, was also a summer addition to Sascha Lewandowski’s current side – who was signed by former manager and ex-Red Sami Hyypia – and has been used mainly in support up-front for the German team.
Former Hamburg player Son has managed 11 goals and seven assists in all competitions this season so far, and Rodgers will see him as fantastic backup for sensational star strikers Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge.
Leverkusen currently lie in fourth place in the Bundesliga, but sit precariously just ahead of Wolfsburg and Borussia Monchengladbach. It seems that qualifying for Champions League is a must for Bayer to keep their prized assets.
While it seems too soon for Can to get a call-up to the senior national German squad in time for the World Cup, Son will be on the plane to Brazil for his country.
South Korea have been placed in Group H of the compettion this summer, along with Belgium, Russia and Algeria, and are third-favourites both to qualify to the knockout stages at 7/4, and top their pool at 6/1.
The Asian nation are 250/1 shots to win the competition, or, more realistically, if you fancy them to repeat their feat of getting eliminated in the semis in 2002 at 25/1.
