Emre Can on being Zidane as a kid, starring for Liverpool & his next move after Juventus

Juventus midfielder Emre Can has revealed he idolised Zinedine Zidane when he was growing up while has refused to rule out a move to Frankfurt or a Turkish club in the future.

Can is in his first season as a Juventus player having joined from Liverpool in the summer, and he is on course to win his first Serie A title with the club in the coming weeks.

Zidane himself played for Juventus between 1996 and 2001, and Can admitted he was the one player he looked up to when he was a young child.

"When you played on the streets in my generation you were either Zidane or Ronaldinho," Can told Goal. "I was Zidane, he was my favourite player and my Idol. The way he touched the ball was impressive.

"As a child you should be climbing trees and hurting your knees. It is the only way to grow up. At the weekends we were outside from 10 in the morning until 7pm. 

"That was the best time for me, even though my mum was mad because she had so many clothes to wash."

Before joining Massimiliano Allegri's side from Liverpool, Can spent time in the Bundesliga playing for both Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich after coming through the academy at Eintracht Frankfurt.

He only played for Bayern four times before he left the club for Leverkusen, but the 25-year-old is adamant he has no hard feelings towards them insisting he left for footballing reasons only.

"I would not say it did not work out with Bayern," he added. "I had a contract back then and the club wanted to keep me, but I did not really see the possibility to play often. 

"But for a young player it is important to be on the pitch as often as possible. Leverkusen gave me that possibility. Looking back, that transfer was the best decision for me.

"Many people in Germany said: 'What is he doing?' But I was sure I could make it there. And in the end I did. No matter where I was, I always made it and that is my target now for Juventus and the national team as well."

Despite being a Germany international with 21 caps to his name, Can also has connections to Turkey.

His parents are both Turkish, and the midfielder highlighted a desire to one day play for a team within the nation of his mother and father.

"Why not? One day, when I am a little older, Turkey is surely a possibility," Can said. "I can imagine living and play in Istanbul one day. That is a wonderful city."

He also hasn't ruled out a return to Frankfurt: "You should never say never. Frankfurt is my city and it stays my city. 

"My parents and my friends live there and I visit them regularly when I have a couple of days off. And I follow Eintracht as well. Respect for what they're achieving this season."

For now, Can's focus remains fully on Juventus' Champions League quarter-final second-leg against Ajax on Tuesday.