Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva has revealed that he almost left the Reds under the management of now-England boss Roy Hodgson.

The Brazil international, who has experienced lengthy injury woes in recent seasons, has admitted that he came close to departing Anfield following the dismissal of boss Rafael Benitez.

"I felt as though it was almost the end for me at the club," the Liverpool Echo quotes Lucas as saying. "I nearly left. I knew they were looking for players.

"They signed Christian Poulsen at the time, and that was a message for me, that I was not really in their plans. So I was really close to leaving to go to Italy.

"For some reason I did not go, I stayed. After a few games, I got my place back in the team and I started to play a bit more."

The 26-year-old moved to the Merseyside outfit in 2007 from Gremio.