Brendan Rodgers has given Lucas Leiva a ringing endorsement and declared he will be integral to his Liverpool team.
Brazil international set to be fit for the start of the new season
Brendan Rodgers has given Lucas Leiva a ringing endorsement and declared he will be integral to his new-look Liverpool team.
The 25-year-old has been out for seven months after he sustained a cruciate ligament injury last November, which interrupted his best Liverpool campaign to date.
Lucas' recovery is ahead of schedule and he has joined his team-mates on their pre-season tour of America.
Professional
It is something which has triggered praise from the new Liverpool chief, who views the Brazil international as integral to the success of the team.
"He's the ultimate professional," Rodgers told the
club's official website.
"He is going to be a brilliant player for me in my career here at Liverpool and I'm looking forward to seeing him back fully fit.
Character
"I've only been at the club a short period of time, and when I first arrived, everyone told me about how special he was as a player and a character, and he's even better when you meet him in real life and see how hard he works.
"The injury he's had is normally nine months before you get back at all, so he's back two months early. You only do that through one thing: sheer determination and hard work.
"I know that every day of his life he is fighting hard to get back, and as I said, he's not only a top footballer but a top guy as well."
