FULL DISCLOSURE! This is not based on any insider knowledge or direct communication from Emre Can or his side. However, examining the entire situation involving Emre Can I think the reason he wants to leave the club is obvious. We will explore it below.
More and more it seems as if Emre Can will be leaving Liverpool, possibly even on a free transfer during the summer. That is when Can's contract with Liverpool is set to expire and he will be free to join another club.......for free. How did it come to this?
First let's look at Can as a player and what it would mean to lose him. At just 23, it is likely that we are still not seeing the best of Emre Can and he may continue to develop and improve. But what we have seen has been impressive. At least at times. This season, he has one goal and two assists in the Premier League and Champion's League combined. At times he has looked brilliant. At other times you have to search the pitch to find him. And to me that is the story with Emre Can. In a word inconsistent. Perhaps this is due to his age and development and he may yet prove to be a great, consistent player. But for now you get highs and lows with Can. Definitely not someone you can count on consistently to have a great game.
If the club have title aspirations and want to win trophies, consistent play especially in the midfield is critical. Still, Liverpool do not want to lose Emre Can, especially for free. In the summer, Juventus were serious in their pursuit of Can but Liverpool fended off the pursuit and kept Can at Anfield. The goal being to sign him to a new, long-term contract. However, that goal has not been realized.
From the reports, several reasons have been floated as to why Emre Can has not inked a new deal with the club. Initially, it was stated that Emre Can wanted a release clause inserted into his contract and the club have resisted. The Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona soap opera has been mentioned as the driver for Can and why he's demanding the release clause.
But why would a player who was committed to Liverpool demand a release clause? And why would the club provide such a clause? If Liverpool have done the same with Coutinho, he would no longer be with Liverpool. And giving in to Emre Can's demand would also mean future dealings with other players would result in the same. Imagine having release clauses in Mane's, Salah's, and Keita's contract? Not something Liverpool nor supporters want to see.
More recently, wage demands have been listed as to the reason Emre Can will not sign a deal. The story is Can wants Coutinho-like wages in the area of £160,000. The club is looking at a more realistic wage of £75,000 per week. It is insane to demand Coutinho wages and no one would claim Emre Can is the same level of player as Coutinho. If Emre Can is not going to ink a deal for less than £160,000 per week than Can will not be signing a contract with any club and will be out of football. No club is going to meet those wages, not Liverpool, and not Juventus or Bayern Munich, the two clubs with the most interest. And Emre Can knows this, he will not be making £160,000 per week anywhere next season.
So if it isn't the release clause and isn't the wages, what is Emre Can's real reason for looking at a move away from Anfield? In a word, competition.
Competition. For playing time.
The Liverpool midfield already is crowded. Joining Emre Can most often have been Jordan Henderson, Gino Wijnaldum, and Philippe Coutinho. But Liverpool also have James Milner along with newcomer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who prefers midfield opportunities. Add to that group the soon to be returning Adam Lallana, not to mention youngsters such as Marko Grujic and the minutes are not easy to find. Competition is high for playing time even with the injuries and absences. With players returning the competition will only increase. Have a spell of ineffective play and you could easily lose minutes to those fighting behind you.
Emre Can also is looking at this midfield for 2018. Already set to join this group is the dynamic Naby Keita. Liverpool have also been linked to (and/or already made efforts to sign) more midfield options. This includes such players as Thomas Lemar, Leon Goretzka, and Julian Draxler.
Forget about the wages and the release clause, this is the reason Emre Can is looking to make a move. He knows competition is already fierce. He also knows more talent is on the way. Talent that actually is better suited to Jürgen Klopp' s style, a style that may be too active and fast for the likes of Emre Can.
He could commit to the club. He could welcome the competition and want to prove his worth. Or, he could run from it and look to move on. Which way is Emre leaning towards? The fact that he refuses to sign tells you everything. Emre Can does not want to fight for his spot and is looking to move on. And with that mind-set I say good riddance.