Can set for Dortmund medical as Juve agree loan-to-buy deal

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Juventus midfielder Emre Can is set to undergo a medical at Borussia Dortmund on Friday after the two clubs agreed a loan deal with the obligation to make the move permanent for €30 million (£25m/$33m) at the end of the season.

The 26-year-old is keen for regular first-team football during the second half of the campaign in order to secure his place in the Germany squad for this summer’s European Championships.

Can only moved to Turin 18 months ago on a free transfer from Liverpool. He made 37 appearances in all competitions during the 2018-19 campaign, helping the club win the Serie A title and Supercoppa Italiana.

However, he quickly fell out of favour following the arrival of Maurizio Sarri as coach at the start of this season, falling behind the likes of Miralem Pjanic, Rodrigo Bentancur, Adrien Rabiot and Blaise Matuidi in the Bianconeri pecking order.

He has made just eight appearances in Serie A and was not even included in their 25-man squad for the Champions League.

That inevitably let to speculation the former Bayern Munich player could seek a move during the winter window.

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Juventus sporting director Fabio Paratici ruled out the possibility of selling Can at the start of January, insisting he was still an important part of the club’s “project”, but that stance changed as the month progressed.

As reported by Goal, the Italian champions decided to sanction the Germany international’s departure in the winter window, but only if their reported €25 million (£21m/$28m) valuation was met.

There was reported interest from the Premier League, with Everton, Manchester United and Tottenham purportedly keen.

However, Dortmund have won the race to Can’s signature, which will see him return to Bundesliga for the first time since he left Bayer Leverkusen for Liverpool in the summer of 2014.

He will become Dortmund’s second signing of the window after the €20 million (£17m/$22m) capture of Norwegian goalscoring sensation Erling Braut Haaland from Red Bull Salzburg.

If he is registered in time, Can could make his Dortmund debut against Union Berlin in the Bundesliga on Saturday.

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