Borussia Dortmund midfielder Emre Can has revealed that he will never play for Manchester United, due to the strength of his ties with rivals and his former club Liverpool.
Having struggled for game time and opportunities at Juventus under Maurizio Sarri, the German international was linked to many clubs in the January transfer window, and has already admitted in the past to have received an offer from the Red Devils.
But Can opted to instead sign with Die Schwarzgelben on an initial loan deal, before a permanent transfer was agreed for a fee of €25m.
And in a recent interview with German publication SportBild, Can revealed that he would not consider playing for Ole Gunnar Solskjær's side, while discussing similarities between United and German giants Bayern Munich.
“The comparison fits,” he said. "Both are record champions and have huge strength. In addition, big names like Bastian Schweinsteiger and Owen Hargreaves played for both clubs.
“But I would never play for United because of my time in Liverpool. My heart won’t let me do that. The rivalry between the clubs is really huge.”
Since arriving from Italy, the midfielder has featured regularly under Lucien Favre, playing five Bundesliga games before the league was suspended. Currently sidelined with muscular problems, he's expected to return shortly, in time for their huge home game against Die Roten on Tuesday, 26 May.
When asked if he considered any other offer besides Dortmund's, the German reveals it was through comparing his current club with the Reds that made the decision easier for him to play at the Westfalenstadion.
"I sign it 100 per cent,” Can answers when asked if there are similarities between the two teams.
“When I came to Dortmund in winter, I compared a lot of things here with Liverpool. The clubs are really similar, have a familiar environment and unique fans.
"And, both love Jürgen Klopp!”
Source : 90min