Scottish giants Rangers FC are set to make a move for Lazio midfielder Lucas Leiva in the summer transfer window, with newly appointed manager Steven Gerrard keen on a reunion with his former Liverpool teammate, a report from the Sun claims.
The Gers have already begun their summer shopping after another mixed campaign that ended with them finishing 3rd in the Scottish Premiership, by signing Scott Arfield and Allan McGregor on free transfers from Burnley and Hull City respectively.
Gerrard seems to want to continue bolstering his ranks ahead of the season by making his former Liverpool midfield partner, Lucas, as the latest addition.
The 31-year-old played alongside Gerrard at Liverpool for the majority of his ten-year spell with the club, having joined them in 2007 from Brazilian outfit Gremio.
Lucas made 346 appearances for Liverpool, scoring 7 goals and registering 21 assists before bringing an end to his decade-long stint with the club only last summer, joining Serie A outfit Lazio in a £5million move.
Having joined the Biancocelesti, the former Brazil international has established himself as a key member of the team, making 49 appearances across all competitions, coming out with returns of 4 goals and 7 assists in the process, helping them push for a UEFA Champions League qualifying spot.
The 31-year-old may not be the most attractive proposition for fans but can be a very valuable addition to the Gers squad. A defensive midfielder by trade, Lucas has made a name for himself with his tremendous work-rate in the middle of the park and the ability to break up attacks with smart interceptions and strong tackles.
The former Liverpool man is capable of combining aggression and tenacity with intelligence in the midfield engine room and has the range of distribution to start off attacks once he reclaims possession from the opposition.
The volumes of experience he has gained over the years by turning up for a giant like Liverpool will come in extremely handy for the Gers.
The Light Blues have quite a number of options in the middle, with the likes of Graham Dorrans, Jason Holt, Greg Docherty, Jordan Rossiter, Ryan Jack and Andy Halliday in the ranks already, while Ross McCrorie has also been used in a holding midfield role often.
However, none of them brings in the same qualities as Lucas. Given that Docherty, Rossiter and McCrorie have just entered their twenties and lack the experience at the top level, having someone as seasoned and experienced as Lucas in the ranks could rub off on them in a very positive way.
The 31-year-old has a contract at Lazio until the summer of 2020 and the club might want to hold on to him given the impact he has had in his debut campaign in Italy.
However, if the Gers manage to bring him over to Govan in the summer, they will have a player in the squad who could play a role similar to what Scott Brown does for Scottish champions and arch-rivals Celtic.