‘Spectacular’ ex-Liverpool player gets last-minute Euro 2024 call-up after injury withdrawal

England are the early favourites, with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez hoping to play their part for Gareth Southgate’s side.

However, Liverpool host players for other teams who could have a shot at the title. Diogo Jota’s Portugal will fancy their chances, as will Ibrahima Konate and France. Meanwhile, don’t rule out the Reds’ Dutch trio either.

However, beyond the current members of the Liverpool squad, there were initially three former players to keep an eye on. On Wednesday, that trio became a quartet.

Emre Can receives a last-minute call-up to Germany

Not too many left Liverpool during the Jurgen Klopp years and moved on to better things.

Liverpool were generally good at recognizing when players were ready to go. For most, the years after leaving Anfield were a downfall.

Two of the three who traveled to Euro 2024 before Wednesday definitely fell into that category.

Gini Wijnaldum is perhaps one of the best examples of post-Liverpool malaise. However, the 33-year-old has somewhat revived his career under Steven Gerrard and is part of the Netherlands squad.

READ MORE: One player Liverpool should look to sign from every Euro 2024 squad

Xherdan Shaqiri has never been able to get better at Anfield, but has diminished even more since leaving in 2021. However, tournament football is where Shaqiri does his best work and he will be a key man for Switzerland.

The third – Hungary’s Peter Gulacsi – did not play a game during five years as an academy player at Liverpool.

On Wednesday, journalist Florian Plettenberg confirmed that a fourth former Liverpool star had been added to the tournament.

“The DFB confirms that Aleksandar Pavlovic will miss the EUROs due to an infection caused by recurrent tonsillitis,” says Plettenberg. “Julian Nagelsmann nominated Emre Can now!”

Emre Can continues the renaissance

Emre Can probably still belongs to the category of players who mistakenly thought the grass was greener away from Liverpool.

The German reportedly wanted a release clause to be introduced to sign a new contract as early as 2018. After this was denied, he left on a free transfer to join Juventus.

After failing to make the mark at Juve, Can returned home to Germany and Borussia Dortmund, where he has been since 2020.

Although he never quite lived up to his days at Liverpool – where a famous bicycle kick goal against Watford was deemed “spectacular” by Klopp (Sky Sports) – Can has still had a fine career.

The 30-year-old recently led Dortmund to their first Champions League final in 11 years and has been a solid player for them for four years.

On top of that, Can has amassed 43 Germany caps and could now win the Euros in his native country this summer. Not a bad career. He should have stayed at Liverpool though.

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