When it first became clear that Lucas Leiva was to be made available by Liverpool Football Club, free to leave if an £8M fee was met, one of the first clubs mentioned as a possible landing spot was Inter Milan. They had been rumoured to be interested in January, and Roberto Mancini was a long-time admirer of the holding player from his time in England.
According to reports from Gazzetta dello Sport, though, it isn’t Inter who are interested in Lucas. Rather, it’s AC Milan. They claim that once it became clear Lucas was available, his capture became a priority for club owner Adriano Galliani, and that Lucas’ agent will arrive in Milan tomorrow to try to expedite the deal and that there is hope Lucas could be a Milan player by this time next week.
The Rossoneri had been rumoured to be chasing Belgium and Zenit St. Petersburg holding midfielder Axel Witsel to strengthen the side, but with the two sides having failed to find common ground over the player’s value and Lucas becoming available, that interest is now believed to have ended. If it’s all true, it could be good news for Lucas—though many Liverpool fans won’t see it so positively.
Of course, it’s equally possible given the rumours are emerging from Italy rather than from those with ties to Liverpool, that it’s nothing more than an effort on Milan’s part at bargaining down the Witsel fee. Milan, like neighbours and fellow rumoured Lucas suitors Inter, disappointed last season in Serie A, ending up out of Europe in tenth.