Liverpool news: Jamie Carragher sends Lucas message as Sadio Mane’s theory is denied – The Mirror

With their scheduled opponent Fulham in FA Cup action this weekend, and with the international break on the horizon, Liverpool are preparing for a two-week break.

Jurgen Klopp’s Reds would have a chance to improve their opening weekend draw, setting the tone for a slow start to the season, only for Marco Silva’s team to set up a cup quarter-final with Manchester United. This means Klopp’s team will be without a club game for more than two weeks by the time they face title challenger Manchester City on April 1.

With no on-field actions to discuss, today’s recap focuses on things off the field. Here’s the latest news from Anfield.

Carragher sends Lucas a message

Jamie Carragher has sent his congratulations to Lucas Leiva after the Brazilian had to hang up his boots. Lucas, who played with Carragher at Anfield for several years, has been forced to take early retirement due to a heart condition.

“Well done to a top man and player @LucasLeiva87 with a wonderful career, best of luck in the future amigo,” Carragher wrote on Twitter. His message came after separate messages of support from Liverpool and Lucas’ club Gremio.

The midfielder, who turned 36 in January, also began his career at Porto Alegre side Gremio before spending ten years as a Liverpool player. He played more than 300 games for the Reds and was part of the side that reached the Europa League final in 2016 under Jürgen Klopp.

Robertson rejects the Mane theory

Liverpool defender Andy Robertson disagrees with the theory that Sadio Mane’s departure has been the cause of 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 last season with the club.

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“To be honest, no,” Robertson said when asked by the BBC if Mane’s exit was behind the slump. “Don’t get me wrong, I had a fantastic relationship with Sadio in terms of me and him on the left for five years. He was a joy to play with, every game.”

“I loved playing with him, we hit it off really well. He helped me go backwards the way I helped him move forward. And yes, we hit it off really well. When he left, probably no one was more upset than me because of the relationship we had.”

Read more about Robertson’s position here

Liverpool’s summer overhaul

The upcoming transfer window could prove to be the most important of Jürgen Klopp’s time at Anfield. Liverpool’s up and down 2022-2023 season has highlighted the need for reinforcements, even before the imminent departure of several members of the squad was acknowledged.

With a number of men coming out of contract, the midfield is becoming an important area for the club. Roberto Firmino is also on his way out, but the Reds are looking good offensively.

The challenge is in anticipating who stays and who goes, and Mirror Football’s Mark Jones has been trying to find out what’s in store. It’s a bit of a retro approach, with a chance to raid that well-known Southampton transfer market, while a star or two from the continent could arrive.

Read the full overview of Liverpool’s summer here

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