- Can signed for Juve in 2018
- Spent two months out with thyroid issue
- Revealed doctors had detected cancer
WHAT HAPPENED? After the problem was diagnosed by Juventus' team doctors, the Germany international was forced to undergo emergency surgery. At the time, Liverpool described the problems as "a thyroid nodule that could also require surgical treatment", but Can has since revealed that the procedure was for cancer in that region, and expressed his gratitude at Juve's staff for their early detection.
WHAT THEY SAID: “I had thyroid cancer and I needed to undergo surgery urgently,” the 29-year-old told DAZN. “This has changed a lot in my life. You can have a lot of money, you can have everything, but health is the most important thing. It’s part of life and I suggest everyone undergo screenings, it doesn’t matter how healthy one thinks he is, if you find out about these things in time, you can act.
“I am so grateful to Juventus doctors. They called me two months after my medicals with the club. I didn’t know what was going on, I didn’t even know what a thyroid was and I would never imagine I had cancer. The move to Turin was worthy, only just for this."
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Can endured an underwhelming spell in Turin. The midfielder recorded just four goals in 45 appearances for the club, although did face a two-month absence recovering from the surgery. After just one-and-a-half years in Italy, he returned to Germany to sign for Dortmund initially on loan before completing a permanent move in the summer of 2020, where he remains.
IN THREE PHOTOS:
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR CAN? The 29-year-old continues to be an important player in Edin Terzic's side, and will likely feature when Dortmund travel to Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga on Sunday.