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Liverpool's midfield was much improved yesterday, and with Emre Can getting close to full fitness and Adam Lallan back for the Aston Villa match, there's a host of options available to Brendan Rodgers moving forward. An option he hasn't been considering of late has been Lucas Leiva, who was left out of the squads to face Manchester City and Tottenham. A move away has appeared to be the only option for regular minutes, with a Rafa reunion long rumored to be on the cards, but it's disappointing news for the Brazilian today as there doesn't appear to be a resolution on the immediate horizon.
No deal to take Lucas Leiva on loan to Napoli and all hope of one seems to have gone. He has been desperate to get regular football #lfc
— ian herbert (@ianherbs) September 1, 2014
Over the course of the fall he may yet see minutes in the starting eleven or off the bench; the immediate post-international break period will see Liverpool play three Premier League matches, their Champions League group stage opener, and the third-round League Cup clash against Middlesbrough in a span of two weeks, and someone with the quality of Lucas should find a way to make an appearance or two.
But it's clear that long-term he's no longer in Brendan Rodgers' plans, and if he is indeed looking to go elsewhere, it's a cruel blow that nothing will become available until January at the earliest. He's been a loyal player throughout a difficult spell, and deserves a chance to revive his career. Hopefully something still pans out, and if not, he stays healthy and either finds a way into Liverpool's plans over the next few months or can work something out in January.
