Can chose Liverpool over Bayern

Germany Under-21 international midfielder Emre Can has revealed he turned down Bayern Munich in favour of joining Liverpool.

Can, who joined Bayer Leverkusen from Bayern in the summer of 2013, could have returned to the Allianz Arena–if Bayern triggered their buy-back option in the deal–in 2015.

Instead of waiting for Bayern to decide whether they would exercise their buy-back option, Can decided to join Liverpool after the club agreed to pay his £9.75 million release clause.

A discussion with manager Brendan Rodgers ultimately convinced the 20-year-old that Anfield was the right place for him.

“Bayern had a buy-back clause but that didn’t kick in until next year,” Can said.

“There were some discussions with Bayern this summer but I decided the best thing for me would be to accept the opportunity to come to Liverpool.

“Before I came here I had discussions with Brendan Rodgers and that made my mind up. From those talks I was very positive about this move.

“This whole club is very ambitious and positive about how it wants to play football. That’s the way I want to play football, too.

“Liverpool believe in the same things and that’s why I came here. I want to stay here for a long time.”

Can has made just two substitute appearances for the Reds this season. He lasted played on 31 August against Tottenham Hotspur.

Jol was offered Bale for £5m

Former Ajax and Fulham boss Martin Jol has revealed he was offered Gareth Bale for just £5 million while in charge of Bundesliga side Hamburg.

Bale, who eventually left Southampton for Tottenham in a deal worth £7 million, has obviously turned into one of Europe’s most electrifying talents, but his career could have turned out very differently if Hamburg were able to gather £5 million in 2008.

“Bale’s outcome at Spurs could have been a lot different,” said Jol.

“Spurs saw Bale as a left-back, but he probably wasn’t the best left-back in the world.

“He was more creative, he had electric pace, so everybody saw that he was more suited as a forward player, and Harry Redknapp saw that later on.

“I saw his potential straight away, but other people didn’t see that in the early stages of his career and that led to Spurs offering Bale to me when I went to Hamburg.

“We had to pay a lot of money to get him though, about five or six million, which we couldn’t afford at the time.

“I then asked Daniel Levy if we could take him on loan instead, but at that time it was not possible.

“So, yes, Hamburg could have bought Bale for £5million because, of course, he was not playing at that moment.

“He couldn’t get into the side, so Spurs offered him to other clubs.”

Bale, who left Spurs for Real Madrid for £85 million in the summer of 2013, has tallied four goals and three assists in seven Liga BBVA matches this season.