Lucas Leiva shares update as former Liverpool…

Lucas Leiva shares update as former Liverpool midfielder told to 'stay away' from football after heart issue

Former Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva has been advised to stay away from high-level activity for three months after a possible cardiac issue was detected during a routine medical scan.

Lucas, 35, spent ten years at Liverpool between 2007 and 2017 and established himself as a fan favourite during those years as he made 346 appearances for the club and was part of the squad that won the 2012 League Cup. He departed Anfield after just one full season under manager Jurgen Klopp to join Serie A side Lazio in a £5m deal.

However, after leaving the Rome-based side earlier this year upon the expiration of his contract at the Stadio Olimpico, the midfielder made a return to his boyhood club Gremio, whom he departed 15 years earlier to make his first move to Europe.

But with the new Brazilian Serie B season scheduled to get underway in January, Lucas and his team-mates reported back for pre-season in recent days and it was only then that an "alteration of the cardiac rhythm" was detected in the 35-year-old.

After Gremio doctors Leandro Zimerman and Ricardo Stein conducted tests on the former Anfield cult hero, Lucas has now announced that he has been referred to a specialist and advised to stay clear of high-performance physical activity for between two and three months.

Taking to Twitter on Thursday evening, the 35-year-old released a statement to his 1.8m followers : "The Medical Department of Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense communicates that, after alterations were diagnosed in one of the routine pre-season exams of the athlete Lucas Leiva, he was submitted to complementary evaluations and referred to a specialist.

"Once the evaluations were completed, conducted by doctors Leandro Zimerman and Ricardo Stein, it was determined that the athlete should stay away from high-performance physical activities for a period of 2 to 3 months, during which he will be accompanied, monitored and guided by the Club's medical team and the aforementioned specialists.

"After this period, Lucas Leiva will undergo further examinations and evaluations to determine the evolution of his clinical condition."

The 22-cap Brazil international signed a one-year contract with his boyhood club Gremio earlier this year, which will expire on December 31, 2023.

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