Lucas plots Premier League challenge

Lucas Leiva believes Liverpool can challenge for the Premier League title within the next five years.

The Reds have failed to qualify for the Champions League for the past three seasons after poor league campaigns, but appointed former Swansea boss Brendan Rodgers in the summer to rebuild the club.

And with the likes of Luis Suarez, Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel signing new deals, the 25-year-old Lucas thinks Liverpool have the squad and stability necessary to challenge for top honours within the next five years.

“In five years, I just hope we can be winning the league and maybe the Champions League. Why not? We have to believe that. This club has already showed many people what we’re capable of doing. Why can we not get back?” Lucas told the club’s official website.

“The last three or four years have been very difficult, it’s a difficult moment, but we’ll start to achieve.

“We have to have that dream (winning the league) in mind. Everyone here is working to do that one day. We know at the moment it’s not possible.”

Lucas thinks the likes of Agger, Skrtel and Suarez signing new long-term deals represents faith in the future fortunes of the club, and will strengthen the team for the challenges ahead.

“If you see players like Suarez and Daniel Agger signing new deals and committing themselves to this club, it just shows how much these players believe,” he said.

“I don’t think anybody would want to stay at a club they really don’t believe can win anything, especially foreign players, because if you are so away from your house, your family, you want it to be a great career away.”

Lucas has endured a frustrating year with Liverpool – he was ruled out for three months with a thigh injury this August, and missed the 2011-12 campaign from last December onwards after a cruciate ligament injury.

However, Rodgers has utilised the Brazilian’s knowledge by sending him on scouting missions with his backroom staff, for which Lucas expressed his gratitude.

He added: “When I had the injury I spoke with him and he asked if I wanted to go to some games with his staff, just to make me part of the game and still looking at tactics.

“When you are injured you don’t go outside, you don’t go to training sessions, it makes you feel out of the team and the football, so he just asked me if I wanted to.

“It was good.”