Jurgen Klopp blocked Lucas Leiva’s move from Liverpool to Galatasaray this summer according to the player’s agent. Metin Korkmaz, Lucas’s representative, says that the Brazilian had his heart set on a move to Turkey having been told that he could leave Liverpool.
“Klopp was behind the transfer hitting the rocks,” the agent revealed, “he wants Lucas to stay and the player had to listen. If it was up to Lucas, he would have made the transfer.”
Lucas joined Liverpool from Grêmio in 2008 and Galatasaray also confirmed that the transfer has fizzled out. Sporting director Levent Nazifoglu saying, “We are no longer pursuing Lucas Leiva, we will continue to sign alternative names instead.”
Lucas had previously been told that he would be allowed to leave Anfield, but Klopp appears to want to keep the experienced midfielder, who missed Sunday’s 4-3 win over Arsenal with a hamstring strain picked up during pre-season.