Borussia Dortmund's sporting general manager, Lars Ricken, has made it clear that he hopes to extend captain Emre Can's contract.

Emre Can suffered a torn cruciate ligament in his left knee during Sunday's match against Bayern Munich, and is expected to miss the rest of the season. His contract expires in June, raising concerns about his future at Borussia Dortmund.

However, Ricken's latest statement has clearly cleared up public doubts. Speaking about Emre Can's injury, he told the Funke Mediengruppe newspapers: "This is an extremely heavy diagnosis for Emre and the entire club. He has always been the undisputed captain of the team, whether under Niko Kovac, Nuri Sahin, or Edin Terzić."

“We have great respect for Emre. That’s why we want to continue to support him in his comeback and extend his contract beyond June 30. Once Emre has successfully completed his upcoming surgery, we will sit down with him to discuss the details.”

Emre Can, 32, came through Bayern Munich's youth academy and made his first-team debut in the German Super Cup on August 12, 2012. He subsequently played for Bayer Leverkusen, Liverpool, and Juventus, winning two Serie A titles and one Italian Super Cup with the clubs.

In January 2020, Emre Can joined Borussia Dortmund on a loan-to-buy deal. He primarily plays as a defensive midfielder and center-back for Dortmund, making 220 appearances to date, scoring 23 goals and providing 12 assists, and winning one German Cup title with the team.

Emre Can also made 48 appearances for the German national team, contributing 2 goals and 2 assists, and winning a Confederations Cup. However, he has not been called up to the German national team since October 2024.

Image source: Internet