Lucas Leiva is reportedly ready to leave Liverpool amid rumours Inter Milan are interested in a transfer despite Reds manager Brendan Rodgers insisting the Brazilian isn’t going anywhere.

According to ESPN FC’s Richard Jolly, the midfielder has been linked with a move to the Nerazzurri, and Leiva is open to starting a new challenge:

Lucas Leiva wants to leave Liverpool and is intrigued by the prospect of a move to Inter Milan, sources have told ESPN FC. Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has ruled out letting the midfielder go in this transfer window, but ESPN FC has been told the Brazilian is willing to move and that he feels undervalued at Anfield.

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Lucas considered going last summer, when Rodgers would have allowed him to leave, and his recent return to favour has not been enough to persuade him that his long-term future lies at Anfield.

As reported by Jolly, Rodgers recently told reporters he has absolutely no intention of letting the experienced midfielder walk.

“No, he is not one that we would want to lose in January. It is not something I would be willing to do in January,” Rodgers said. “Of course at the end of the season everything is looked at again, but the team is in a good momentum.”

Leiva has returned to the Reds’ starting XI in the 2014-15 campaign with a series of impressive displays, and with the 28-year-old Brazilian in the squad, Liverpool’s results have taken a turn for the better as well.

As shared by Squawka Football, the star midfielder has clearly had quite the impact:

Leiva brings composure to a young squad that sorely needs it, and with veteran playmaker Steven Gerrard set to leave the club at the end of the season, the Reds can ill afford to lose another longtime contributor.

His passing range has been on full display in recent weeks, leading the entire Premier League in completed passes on Matchday 22, per Squawka:

Inter are struggling in Serie A but have already made a big splash in the January transfer window, bringing in Swiss international Xherdan Shaqiri. The Nerazzurri have a talented squad and would present an interesting project for Leiva, who would be an immediate starter alongside Croatia international Mateo Kovacic.

If Leiva is desperate to leave, a January transfer might not be an option. Amid plenty of speculation, Rodgers told talkSPORT’s Alan Brazil he has no intention of concluding any major transfer business, a promise he would have to break in order to find Leiva‘s replacement:

It will be quiet. I’ve said before we wouldn’t be doing much over the course of January.

There are players who are linked with Liverpool all the time. That may be agents looking to get their player a move. For us, it will be pretty quiet.

Liverpool brought in a number of players during the summer window, focusing on youngsters with potential over proven contributors. Those new players required time to adapt to their new surroundings, and untimely injuries set the squad further back.

The Reds’ recent results have been much improved, however, and it’s only logical Rodgers wants to reap the rewards in the second half of the campaign. That means as little turnover as possible, including parting with vital contributors.

Anfield HQ believes Leiva certainly falls under that category:

If the Liverpool boss believes in his current crop of players—and it certainly seems he does—fans can expect him to stay true to his word and not make any major splashes in January.

A lack of new arrivals would surely hinder Leiva‘s chances of obtaining a move away from the club, and if the Brazilian truly wants to leave, he’ll likely have to wait until summer. Given the club’s recent upturn, that would give the Reds plenty of time to change the midfielder’s mind.

 

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