Liverpool Agree €12m Fee to Sign Bayer Leverkusen Starlet Emre Can

Liverpool have agreed a fee with Bayer Leverkusen for Emre Can and will sign the midfielder for €12m, according to reports in Germany.

The versatile 20-year-old has enjoyed a splendid campaign with Bayer where he has caught the eye of Brendan Rodgers, who recently indicated he is looking to sign players who can play in a number of roles.

Can would appear to fit that mould having operated at left back and in an advanced midfield position this term, but excels in a deeper role. Having left Bayern Munich in search of greater first team football opportunities last summer, the Bundesliga champions do have an option to resign the Germany Under-21 international but Bild suggest Liverpool have acted quickly and have agreed a deal to bring him to Merseyside.

A deal for Can will signal Rodgers' first attempt to address the issues that saw his side's challenge for the Premier League title fall by the wayside. Liverpool's poor defensive record – one that saw them concede more goals than any other side in the top five - was not helped by the long term absence of Brazilian enforcer Lucas, who missed two months of the season between January and March and struggled to regain his impressive form on his return.

Should the Reds secure a deal for Can, Rodgers may soon return to the Bundesliga to add to his squad. The Guardian suggest the Liverpool boss is looking into the possibility of signing Bayern Munich midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri, who has struggled to hold down a first team role at the Allianz Arena following his arrival from Basel in 2012.

The 22-year-old, who is equally adept on both flanks as well as in a central position, admitted earlier this season that if any club were to make a move for him he would consider it, comments that will encourage Rodgers in his bid to strengthen his side.

And ahead of the club's return to the Champions League for the first time in four seasons, the Northern Irish manager has clear criteria when it comes to adding to his squad this summer.

"You'll get some players who are specialists and who need to play in particular positions, but if we can get players in who are multi-functional, and can play in different roles and are multi-dimensional in their work, it sets us up and gives me more options as a coach," Rodgers told Liverpool's official website.

"Our criteria that we look for is players with strong technique and football intelligence. They need to mentally have the attitude and the capacity to learn. And they have to be so hungry to fight for every ball on every day in training and in the game."