It took us five minutes to part ways - Lucas Leiva talks on Liverpool exit

Bengaluru, October 16: Lazio midfielder Lucas Leiva says he had no hesitation in leaving Liverpool for Lazio despite his immense affinity with the Merseyside club.

The midfielder brought down the curtain on a decade-long stay at Anfield this summer when he chose Serie A over his other offers.

The Brazilian joined Liverpool from his boyhood club Gremio in 2007 during the tenure of Rafael Benitez as the Liverpool manager and had been a loyal servant to the club over the years before moving for Lazio this summer.

Lucas was in no doubt that it was the right time to leave the club as he was surplus to requirements at his beloved club.

“I had a chance to move to Turkey but I had others offers from Italy as well”, Lucas told Goal.

“I had a very strong relationship with Liverpool but it took us five minutes to part ways. It was the right moment to leave and Liverpool understood I needed a new challenge.”

“Lazio have had a good start to the season, we won the Super Cup and we’ve done pretty well in Europe as well. It’s still early to have a verdict on my experience here because we are only at the beginning of the season.”

“I adapted well to Italian football although I still need to improve tactically. I want to help Lazio and it would unfair to say that everything is going well because I’ve just arrived. We are all going the right direction.”

Despite the Brazilian moving on from the club, Lucas remains a club hero at Anfield and will always be rememberd fondly by the fans who gave his all every time he was on the pitch.

It was not always smooth for him at Liverpool especially in the last few years when he was considered just a squad player but whenever he was called on, he gave his everything.