Liverpool favourite Lucas still playing and helps boyhood club to promotion

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    Former Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva is still going strong at 35 after helping guide boyhood club Gremio back to the Brazilian top flight.

    Once a fan-favourite on Merseyside, Lucas established himself as one of Liverpool's most reliable players and is proving he can still make an impact as he enters the twilight of his career.

    Gremio, who were shockingly relegated from Brazil's Serie A last year, have bounced back at the first time of asking, with Lucas netting the second goal in his side's a 3-0 over Nautico to seal promotion with two games to spare.

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    It was the Brazilian's third goal in 16 matches for the Porto Alegre club, having joined them from Lazio in June.

    Lucas began his professional career at Gremio, making his debut for the senior side in 2005 and quickly nailing down a starting spot, before joining Liverpool for £5m in 2007.

    His high-profile move to the Premier League earned him his first cap for Brazil a few months later and despite only appearing at one major tournament for his country, the 2011 Copa America, he managed to rack up 24 senior caps.

    How much would prime Lucas Leiva be worth in today's market? Let us know what you reckon in the comments section below.

    At Liverpool, Lucas was forced to compete for a space in midfield with the likes of Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano, though his dependability and versatility ensured he got plenty of game time.

    He won just a single major honour at the club, the 2012 League Cup, and was sold to Lazio at the end of his 10th season at Anfield in 2017.

    In 2019, he was voted Lazio's player of the year with a whopping 94% of the vote after Liverpool fans hijacked the online ballot to ensure their former player won.

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