‘Rafa Benitez wanted Liverpool star to join him at Napoli'

19 set 2017

Italian journalist Valter De Maggio is the executive director of Naples-based radio station Radio Kiss Kiss and a journalist of Premium Sport, today he has revealed that a few years ago Lucas Leiva was close to joining Lazio as the at-the time Napoli boss Rafa Benitez was pushing to sign him.

“When Benitez was the manager of Napoli he told De Laurentiis to sign Lucas Leiva”, De Maggio told Radio Kiss Kiss.

“He really wanted to sign him and was pushing to welcome his services but he [Benitez] left Napoli at the end of the season [summer 2015] and the possible deal collapsed as Sarri replaced the Spaniard.”

Benitez joined Real Madrid after Napoli but was sacked after only five months in charge of the Merengues. Lucas Leiva spent two more years at Liverpool but this past summer he left Anfield Road to join Lazio. Apparently, Italy was in the destiny of the Brazilian.