Lucas to leave for Besiktas but Illarramendi not his replacement

It’ll come as sad news, even if only a loan move, if Lucas does actually leave for Besiktas but it seems more and more likely that the popular Brazilian could be next out the door at Anfield.

Brendan Rodgers has reportedly made it clear to the 28 year old that he doesn’t see a place for him in his first team, and Lucas has also made it clear that he isn’t happy with that situation, so a move seemed quite obvious. However, it seems odd that Liverpool would allow the player to leave on loan, with no real replacement lined up.

Lucas still has a couple of years left on his contract, and any move would see him return at 29 with just 12 months remaining, meaning Liverpool would be unlikely to get much out of a sale. That said, a move for Lucas would see him moving to a side likely to push for the title in Turkey, with regular first team football. That said, things are only tentative at this stage.

Quite how Liverpool benefit from this move is another matter though, particularly considering it seems that no replacement is being lined up. And in a particularly bitter blow for Reds all over the world, it seems almost certain that Asier Illarramendi will definitely not be that replacement, should one eventually materialize.

Reports are now claiming that Illarramendi is being lined up to replace Arturo Vidal at Juventus, and despite reporting that Spaniard isn’t too keen on a move to Italy, the Italian press seem quite positive that Juve can convince the 25 year old.

Whatever you choose to believe, we’re no barely a fortnight away from the end of the transfer window – a time akin to Christmas if you have to report on these things on a daily basis – so we’ll no doubt find out one way or another where both of these players are to end up. Let’s just hope that it all works out for the best for the Reds, whatever happens.