Mainz 05 attacking midfielder Besar Halimi has heaped praise on his former teammate Emre Can.

Halimi – who is currently on loan at the Danish side Brondby – played alongside the Liverpool star at various youth levels.

The 23-year-old has commended Can for not allowing fame and money to change his character.

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“Emre managed to stay grounded in spite of his money and fame,” Halimi told Goal.com.

“It’s very hard to be famous at such a young age but Emre still is the same guy that I know from our youth days in Frankfurt.

“He never forgot where he came from… in my opinion he is an idol for every young footballer.”

Can has been closely linked with a move to Italian giants Juventus for the past 12 months. According to Rai Sports, Juve want a definitive answer from the combative midfielder by the end of the week.

The 24-year-old could leave Liverpool for free in the summer, four years after being signed from Bayer Leverkusen for £10 million.

Can has established himself as a key member of Jurgen Klopp’s side since his move. The Germany international is however at risk of missing the UEFA Champions League tie against AS Rome due to injury.