Former Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva has announced that he has been pulled out of training by his Brazilian club Gremio after a heart issue was detected in a routine screening.
Lucas, 35, joined Gremio from Italian giants Lazio earlier this year, having initially left the South American club for the Reds as a 20-year-old in 2007.
The 24-times capped Brazil international played 346 times for the Reds across his decade on Merseyside, winning the League Cup in 2012 and proving crucial in the settling-in periods of players such as Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino.
A hugely popular player with fans, Lucas also played at centre-back for the Reds and was a sometime captain of the team under Jurgen Klopp.
He joined Lazio after leaving Liverpool in 2017, and after winning the Coppa Italia during his five-year spell there he rejoined Gremio in June.
On Tuesday Lucas tweeted a statement from Gremio confirming that he was to undergo further tests.
It read: "The Medical Department of Gremio reports that the athlete Lucas Leiva presented, in the routine examinations of the pre-season, a picture of change in heart rhythm being, consequently, removed from physical activities until the completion of complementary tests and treatment of the condition."
The tweet was meat with scores of well wishes from fans of Liverpool and Lazio.
When Lucas left Liverpool in 2017 he was given a touching tribute from Klopp, who leaned on his experience and knowhow in his early seasons.
"Things change but Lucas is a special case," said Klopp. "He asked for [to leave]. I would say he's a friend. He's a fantastic person.
"How I know and how he knows, he has a few issues when he's not playing! But we always had a very respectful understanding.
"It was really good. When he left, we both had a little tear in our eye. It was really a special moment.
"For the team, it's difficult. It's the age and it's life. He could sign a long-term contract in Rome and how can I say: 'You stay here, but I don't know if you sign a new contract and I don't know how often you will play next year'.
"So you need to be honest, especially with a player like him.
"He loves Liverpool. It's unbelievable. He comes from Brazil - it's a nice country and the weather is much better.
"He could imagine staying in Liverpool for the rest of his life."
