Liverpool news: Jamie Carragher texts Lucas amid dispute over Sadio Mane theory

Liverpool news: Jamie Carragher texts Lucas amid dispute over Sadio Mane theory

Liverpool are on the verge of a long break after being knocked out of the Champions League, with Jurgen Klopp’s side out of action until April, but there is still work to be done.

With their scheduled opponents Fulham this weekend in the FA Cup and the international break looming, Liverpool are preparing for a two-week break.

Jurgen Klopp’s Reds should have a chance to improve in the opening weekend draw, which set the tone for a slow start to the season only for Marco Silva’s side to reach the quarters of Cup final with Manchester United. It means Klopp’s side will go more than two weeks without a club game when they face title challengers Manchester City on April 1.

With no on-field action to discuss, today’s recap focuses on off-field matters. Here is the latest news from Anfield. Carragher sends a message to Lucas

Jamie Carragher has sent his best wishes to Lucas Leiva after the Brazilian was forced to hang up his boots. Lucas, who played with Carragher at Anfield for several years, was forced into early retirement due to heart disease.

“Congratulations to a top guy and player @LucasLeiva87 for a wonderful career, good luck to the future amigo,” Carragher wrote on Twitter. His news came after separate statements of support from Liverpool and Lucas Gremio’s club.

The midfielder, who turned 36 in January, also started his career with Porto Alegre’s Gremio before spending a decade playing for Liverpool. He played more than 300 games for the Reds and was part of the squad that reached the Europa League final in 2016 under Jürgen Klopp.

Robertson rejects Mane’s theory

Liverpool defender Andy Robertson disagrees with the theory that Sadio Mane’s departure has been to blame for the Reds’ struggles this season. Mane left Liverpool for Bayern Munich in the summer after six years at Anfield, having scored 23 goals in his final season with the club.

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“To be honest, no,” Robertson said when asked by the BBC whether Mane’s exit was behind the crisis. “Don’t get me wrong, I had a fantastic relationship with Sadio as far as me and him left for five years.

“I loved playing with him, we got along really well. He helped me back up like I helped him forward. And yes, we got along really well. When he left, probably nobody was more disappointed than I was with the relationship we had.”

Liverpool’s summer makeover

The upcoming transfer window could turn out to be the biggest of Jurgen Klopp’s time at Anfield. The ups and downs of Liverpool’s 2022-2023 season highlighted the need for reinforcements, even before the imminent departure of several squad members was acknowledged.

With a number of men out of contract, midfield is becoming an important area for the club. Roberto Firmino is also out, but the Reds are fine offensively.

The challenge is in anticipating who stays and who leaves, and Mirror Football’s Mark Jones has been looking to find out what’s in store. It’s a slightly retro approach, with the possibility of breaking into the well-known Southampton transfer market, while a star or two may arrive from the continent.