Emre Can issued a frustrating reminder of what Liverpool could be losing in the summer with a dominant display in Tuesday’s draw against Porto.
The German strolled through the game relatively untroubled as the Reds comfortably progressed to the Champions League quarter-finals on the back of their 5-0 away triumph in the first leg.
Alongside the likes of James Milner and Jordan Henderson, Can was granted the license to drift and, in turn, showcased a superior athleticism and competence on the ball to that of his opponents.
Liverpool’s commanding aggregate lead also inspired the 23-year-old to treat the Anfield crowd to the kind of showboat typically expected from a Roberto Firmino or a Mohamed Salah.
Having out-muscled midfielder André André, he embarrassed his marker with a nutmeg to find Firmino with a pass.
Nobody is safe with Emre Can around 👌@LFC#UCLpic.twitter.com/87eLjSR9H1
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 6, 2018
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Another authoritative outing from Can served up fresh evidence of how Liverpool may be left to rue letting him him leave on a free transfer at the end of the season.
With his current contract set to expire, the former Bayer Leverkusen man appears no closer to agreeing a new deal on Merseyside and has been strongly tipped to seal a switch to Juventus.
His form of late makes the prospect of losing him difficult to accept with the club so close to mounting a serious challenge for the Premier League title.
The pressing question is why exactly Can would want to leave this team? A team with one of Europe’s most emphatic attacking forces and a team with the potential to strengthen even further over the summer.