Brendan Rodgers has a message for Italian soccer clubs that want to buy Lucas Leiva from Liverpool this month: He’s not for sale.
Rodgers told reporters Thursday he won’t sell Lucas during the January transfer window because the Brazilian midfielder is too important to Liverpool right now. Serie A (Italian first division) clubs Inter Milan and Napoli reportedly are interested in signing Lucas, but Rodgers won’t consider selling him before the end of the season, according to the Liverpool Echo.
“No, he is not one that we would want to lose in January,” Rodgers said. “There will be speculation over the course of the month on a lot of players. It is not something I would be willing to do in January. Of course at the end of the season everything is looked at again but the team is in a good momentum.”
Rodgers also refuted rumors which claim Inter Milan recently has contacted Liverpool about potentially signing Lucas for £8 million ($12 million).
“We have had nothing from them (Inter). I think he’s just enjoying playing and he’s playing very well.”
Liverpool has enjoyed a run of positive results recently, and Lucas has been key to that success. The 28-year-old has helped stabilize Liverpool’s defense by protecting the back four as a holding midfielder. Lucas has played in 13 games since Rodgers recalled him to the starting lineup in late November. The Reds have lost just once in that period.
Lucas has enjoyed (or endured) a roller-coaster career at Liverpool since joining the club in summer 2007. While a number of clubs would like to sign the Brazilian international before his contract expires in 2017, Rodgers won’t let that happen, at least not now.
Thumbnail photo via LiverpoolFC.com
