IN a TAW Player hour-long exclusive, Lucas Leiva speaks to Andy Heaton and Gareth Roberts about 10 years at Anfield.

In an open and honest interview, the Brazilian, signed from Gremio for £5million in May 2007, talks first about his early problems settling in as a 20-year-old after swapping Porto Alegre for a new home in Merseyside 6,400 miles away.

How is it to be a young footballer in an unfamiliar city when you can hardly speak the language?

Lucas also reveals how he initially struggled with the Premier League, while also discussing how it was to compete for a starting spot with the ‘best midfield in the world’ of Xabi Alonso, Momo Sissoko, Steven Gerrard and Javier Mascherano.

How did he feel in the Merseyside Derby when Phil Neville handballed his goalbound what-should-have-been winner? Could that have changed how he was perceived by some fans?

The midfielder-turned-defender talks about how he felt he was the scapegoat for some team performances back then while also getting into the ups and downs of his relationship with Liverpool fans. How much are players influenced by what they hear coming from the stands – good and bad?

We also asked Lucas about social media trolls, what the future holds and the times he almost left Liverpool.

There’s all this and more in a must-listen interview only on TAW Player.

If you're already subscribed, click here to login...