Publications
Partners
Cape Town - Inter Milan manager Roberto Mancini admits he would
jump at the chance to sign Lucas Leiva, but concedes it would be
difficult to persuade Liverpool to sell.
The Brazilian has spent the last seven years on Merseyside after joining from Gremio for £5 million, playing as a favourite under former bosses Rafa Benitez, Roy Hodgson and Kenny Dalglish.
However, the 27-year-old has struggled for game time during Brendan Rodgers' reign, although he did play the full 99 minutes of Liverpool's 2-2 draw against Arsenal on Sunday.
And Mancini, who recently returned for a second spell as Inter boss, has admitted his admiration for Lucas, and would be keen to lure the midfielder away from Anfield.
"Lucas is a great player but he is a Liverpool player and it will be hard to get him," Football411 quotes Mancini as saying. "It certainly would be useful to us as he could help our youngsters grow."
The boss underlined his transfer plans in greater detail when talking to Gazzetta dello Sport, saying: "I have already made the point, we are looking for a winger and preferably two. We need a player who is strong, very fast, direct, good technically and capable of scoring goals.
"If we can't find a player with these qualities, then it is better not to buy anyone at all. [Alessio] Cerci, [Aaron] Lennon and Lucas Leiva are all good reference points and not random choices."
The Brazilian has spent the last seven years on Merseyside after joining from Gremio for £5 million, playing as a favourite under former bosses Rafa Benitez, Roy Hodgson and Kenny Dalglish.
However, the 27-year-old has struggled for game time during Brendan Rodgers' reign, although he did play the full 99 minutes of Liverpool's 2-2 draw against Arsenal on Sunday.
And Mancini, who recently returned for a second spell as Inter boss, has admitted his admiration for Lucas, and would be keen to lure the midfielder away from Anfield.
"Lucas is a great player but he is a Liverpool player and it will be hard to get him," Football411 quotes Mancini as saying. "It certainly would be useful to us as he could help our youngsters grow."
The boss underlined his transfer plans in greater detail when talking to Gazzetta dello Sport, saying: "I have already made the point, we are looking for a winger and preferably two. We need a player who is strong, very fast, direct, good technically and capable of scoring goals.
"If we can't find a player with these qualities, then it is better not to buy anyone at all. [Alessio] Cerci, [Aaron] Lennon and Lucas Leiva are all good reference points and not random choices."
