Emre Can’s contract at Liverpool expires this summer with Juventus having long been at the top of the list of clubs who wish to acquire him on a free transfer.
The Italian giants reportedly see him as a young replacement for Sami Khedira, Claudio Marchisio or Blaise Matuidi, who are all now in their early 30s.
The injured midfielder could yet re-sign with the Reds but the longer the situation drags on, the less likely that scenario appears.
With Naby Keita to arrive in the summer, it has been suggested that Can feels he could get more playing time elsewhere.
He dismissed the suggestion that he wanted £200,000 per week to sign earlier in the year, although it is unlikely any other team would pay that level of salary either.
Can has missed the last couple of games – against Manchester City and then Everton – and is not expected back for the second leg of Liverpool's Champions League quarter-final, but has been a key man in Jurgen Klopp's midfield at times this season.
Time running out
Now, though, Juventus chief executive Giuseppe Marotta has told Tuttosport, the Italian publication, that he is close to running out of patience as he awaits a decision from the player.
He said: “I am asking myself what the situation is. We want the soap opera to conclude in around ten days.”
Juventus did also suggest a deadline of a week for Can to make up his mind back in February, but that deadline passed without any change in stance. They remain the most likely destination for the German to end up at, although former club Bayern Munich could also be interested.
Marotta added: “The player is right to evaluate all opportunities. We’ll wait and see and what he wants to do.”
Jurgen Klopp has been known in the past to let go any player who has shown any inclination of not being fully on board with his Anfield project, for example Philippe Coutinho, who departed in January for Barcelona.
That would suggest that with Can reluctant to commit without first evaluating what else could be on offer, he might be best to move on.
Juventus are currently leading Serie A by six points with seven games remaining, but look set to go out of the Champions League having been demolished by Real Madrid in Turin in the first leg of that tie.
Liverpool, meanwhile, are hoping to see out a 3-0 lead over Manchester City that would put them into their first Champions League semi-final since 2008.