According to Galatasaray’s sporting director Leven Nazifoglu, the Turkish club have agreed a deal with Liverpool to sign midfielder Lucas Leiva. Lucas is expected to join The Lions on Monday, pending a decision from manager Jurgen Klopp.
The Turkish club have shown interest in the Brazilian for quite a few months and a deal of about £2m is expected to have been finalised.
Nazifoglu was quoted as saying during the Erin Derdiyok signing ceremony, “We have agreed terms with Liverpool on all fronts, there is some concern regarding Lucas’ injury but all that remains now is for Klopp to make his decision.”
“If it goes ahead it will happen on Monday otherwise we will have to look elsewhere.”
The Liverpool Echo though have reported that with Klopp facing a defensive crisis, Lucas will be given the green light to leave only if the Liverpool manager can find an adequate replacement. With injuries to Mamadou Sakho, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip as well as the loss of Martin Skrtel to Fenerbahce, Liverpool are seriously short of numbers at the back and Klopp is not keen on losing another player until he can rope in a replacement.
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Lucas is Liverpool’s longest-serving member of the current squad. He has made over 300 appearances for the Reds spanning 9 years. He has also made 24 appearances for the Brazilian national team. His career at the Merseyside club has been an up and down one. Lucas was touted to become one of the Premier League’s best defensive midfielders, but injuries in almost every season has significantly hampered his development. At the age of 29, it is more a case of what could have been for the Brazilian.
Lucas, when fit, is one of the best defensive midfielders in the league. He has the ability to keep the game simple. Occupying a deep role in the centre, Lucas provides an effective screen for the back 4. His distribution of the football is flawless and he has one of the highest pass completion rate for the Reds in recent seasons. With a high tackle completion rate, Lucas plays within himself, rarely venturing forward. Evidence to this lies in the fact that he has scored just 6 goals in a Liverpool shirt in 9 seasons.
Injuries, though, have limited the Brazilian’s playing time and he has fallen down the ranks. With Henderson, Milner and Can all ahead of him in the pecking order, a transfer to Turkey could benefit his career.
