Juventus will not sign Liverpool midfielder Emre Can in January, says Beppe Marotta

Liverpool midfielder Emre Can will not be joining Juventus in January after Bianconeri chief executive Giuseppe Marotta revealed the Serie A champions have no plans to sign anyone during the winter transfer window.

Can is expected to leave Anfield at the end of this season when his contract expires and has been heavily linked with a move to Juve, who reportedly submitted a £22.6m bid for the German international in the summer. The Italian champions eventually signed Blaise Matuidi from Paris Saint-Germain but the Frenchman's arrival has not quelled their desire to sign Can, who is unlikely to commit his future to Jurgen Klopp's side.

Juventus could try to sign Can for a cut-price in January or strike a pre-contract agreement with the Germany international ahead of a summer switch, but Marotta has ruled out a winter swoop for the former Bayer Leverkusen star as the Italian giants, who are currently one point behind first-placed Napoli in the Serie A title race, focus on domestic and overseas matters.

"We will not sign anybody in January," Marotta told Rai 2, relayed by Goal. "We are currently achieving our objectives in the Champions League, where we have a hard group."

Can joined Liverpool from Leverkusen in the summer of 2014 and has gone on to make 144 appearances for the Reds, who will welcome midfielder Naby Keita from RB Leipzig in the summer.

Keita's arrival will perhaps soften the blow of Can's prospective departure, but Liverpool boss Klopp still believes there is a chance the former Bayern Munich youth graduate will pen fresh terms on Merseyside and is more than happy to utilise his compatriot's services while he still can.

"It's also allowed to sign a contract in May, even with a player who is still already here," Klopp said last week. "I have no problem with that. As long as Emre doesn't give me one sign that his mind is elsewhere then there's no problem."

Despite intense speculation swirling around his future Can has been a regular fixture in the Liverpool starting line-up this season, starting 12 matches in all competitions, and he will likely be allowed to continue his run in the Reds' engine room when they face Southampton after the international break.