GALATASARAY FAIL IN LEIVA BID

Galatasaray made a move to take the 29-year old midfielder Lucas Leiva away from Liverpool and seemed close to signing the Brazilian midfielder after they agreed terms with the Premier League side, with Lucas looking set to follow Dirk Kuyt from The Reds into Turkish Football.

Lucas Leiva started his career as a box-to-box midfielder at Gremio in Brazil where he won the Campeonato Gaucho in 2006 and 2007. In July 2007 he was signed by Liverpool, where he developed into one of the league's premier defensive midfielders.

The right-footer midfielder has since made over 300 appearances for the club and won the League Cup in 2012. From 2010 to 2016 Lucas led the Premier League in tackles per game, five times in six seasons

The Instanbul giants gave Liverpool until Monday 8th August to make an effective decision over the selling of the Brazilian midfielder, Lucas Leiva. The football betting odds had Lucas at 1/8 to move, so the bookies thought it was nailed on. Nevertheless, the Amfield dwellers had second thoughts and reportedly delayed the final decision concerning Lucas' future at the club.

The 20-time Turkey Super Lig winners, Galatasaray were not intending to wait as Liverpool seemed to be dragging their decision, with the Turkey side ready to turn their attention elsewhere if no further willingness came from Liverpool.

"We have an agreement with Liverpool over the transfer of Lucas, but they are having second thoughts because of a number of recent injuries," Galatasaray board member Levent Nazifoglu declared at a news conference. We will wait until Monday 8th of August to see what happens. We will look at other options if the deal is not done by then."

Galatasaray had no one on their watch-list, but saw the Hertha Berlin midfielder, Tolga Cigerci as a potential plan B and sent a formal offer for the 24-year-old who eventually joined instead on August 8th.

"We have made an offer for Cigerci. We are waiting for their answer," Nazifoglu added.