Former Gremio midfielder Lucas Leiva left his native Brazil in the summer of 2007 to join Liverpool. He was coached by Spanish manager Rafa Benitez when he first moved to the club and played alongside world-class midfielders such as Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso.
Liverpool then went through a period of ill-favour by American businessman duo George Gillett and Tom Hicks. Fenway Sports Group (FSG), who bought the floundering club in 2010, gradually rebuilt the team and began a new era with the appointment of manager Jurgen Klopp in October 20215.
The former Brazilian midfielder, who experienced Liverpool in its various guises during his ten years at Anfield, revealed a good relationship with the German manager and confessed behind the scenes that he shed tears during their last meeting before his move to Lazio in 2017.
“I cried at my final meeting with Jürgen Klopp in the summer of 2017.”
“I spoke many times with Jürgen – our relationship is still fantastic – but there were two times I spoke to him about maybe leaving.”
“Jürgen came in and I played a lot of games under him, but I always felt he was going to build a new team with new players and a new style of play. I was clever enough to understand that my style of play wouldn’t necessarily fit the way he wanted.”
“He was always very honest, I was always very honest with him.”
“He arrived in October 2015 and in the January I had a big offer from China. I remember a couple of days before the game against Man United, I said, ‘Listen, I’ve had this offer. Let’s be fair, it’s a lot of money and I’m not sure if I’m going to play here. What do you think?'”
“He said, ‘Lucas, I understand, but I cannot let you go because I only arrived four months ago and I need you. You will play a big part.’ He always used to say, ‘I cannot promise you’re going to play as much as you want, but I can promise you that you’re going to play a big part.'”
“That’s why I always liked Jürgen – because he was always very honest.”
“In another moment I had a very good opportunity but Jürgen said, ‘I still need you.’ I was coming to my last year of my Liverpool contract and he said, ‘Next year, if something good comes for you, I will help you out.’ That was the case.”
“That pre-season when Lazio came in for me, I felt it was the right moment. They were flying to Hong Kong in the afternoon and in the morning came that Lazio offer. He said, ‘Stay back, get everything done, don’t worry.'”
“It was emotional. I cried and he did a little bit as well because of the respect we had for each other.”
Liverpoolfc.com