fuck yeah......
LUCAS LEIVA admits he may be forced to consider a move away from Liverpool as speculation increases over his Anfield future.
Stoke City are among a clutch of clubs monitoring the midfielder’s situation ahead of the summer transfer window closing later today.
Lucas was a first-team regular for Liverpool last season and, in the absence of many senior players, began pre-season as Roy Hodgson’s first captain and has since started six of Liverpool’s seven games this campaign.
Although Javier Mascherano has departed, the Brazilian has seen his starting place threatened by the arrival of central midfield duo Christian Poulsen and Raul Meireles, along with a change of tactics that has seen Steven Gerrard at times drop into a deeper role.
Hodgson suggested after Sunday’s win over West Bromwich Albion that he would not encourage the sale of any more of his first-team squad players during this transfer window.
But the 23-year-old Lucas, who joined Liverpool from Gremio for £6million in July 2007, has not ruled out a departure in the near future if he falls out of favour.
“I don’t know what the situation is right now,†said the midfielder. “I’m still playing. At the moment, I haven’t had any offers. I don’t know if the club wants to sell me. I just have to wait.
“I’m going away with the national team (on Thursday) and I can’t say any more than that. We don’t have any games so we will be training for a week in Barcelona. I think it’s just speculation.
“Of course, at this stage of my career I need to be playing. I need to be playing and I want to be playing but I believe that I am doing well. The manager will choose who plays. I have a contract and if I don’t get anything good for me or for the club, then I will stay.â€
Hodgson has told Lucas he is part of his plans, and while totally committed to the Liverpool cause the Brazilian accepts he will have no option but to leave if put up for sale.
“I spoke with the manager when in Switzerland and he told me I was in his plans,†said Lucas. “I can’t say more than that. If the club wants to sell me, I would have to think and see if it was good offer for me. But at the moment I am staying, I am trying to do well and giving 100%.
“Do I ideally want to stay? I can’t say that. If the club want to sell me, what can I do? I just have to wait and see what will happen. But I want to be playing. I am trying to do my best here.
“If the club have some offers for me, they will let me know. At the moment I have no idea.â€
Having captured Meireles for £11.5m at the weekend, Hodgson is hopeful of confirming two new arrivals before the transfer window closes at 6pm this evening.
Paul Konchesky’s £3.5m switch from Fulham will go through once reserve team striker Lauri Dalla Valle, who is set to head in the opposite direction, completes a medical at Craven Cottage.
And Hodgson’s need for striking reinforcements has become more pressing with David Ngog having picked up a hamstring injury.
The forward was absent on Sunday and has pulled out of the France under-21 squad for the forthcoming European U21 Championship qualifiers against Ukraine and Malta.
Hodgson is still mulling over a possible move for West Ham United’s Carlton Cole, while a season-long loan for Bayern Munich’s Mario Gomez is another option.
However, that avenue appeared to close yesterday when, after being asked about Liverpool’s interest in Gomez, Bayern Munich sporting director Christian Nerlinger said: “Bayern Munich are not a superstore for other clubs to come and help themselves to players.
“No player will be leaving and they will certainly not be leaving on loan.€
*prays stoke make a silly audacious bid or west ham sell Parker to spurs and accept Lucas as part of the Cole deal!*
