The Reds won the race to sign the box-to-box midfielder ahead of a number of top European clubs after he had set Campeonato Brasileiro alight with a series of accomplished performances that also caught the eye of Brazil coach Dunga.
After winning the Bola de Ouro, an award for the best young player in the league that lists Zico, Romario, Kaka and Carlos Tevez among previous winners, Dunga brought Lucas into the Brazilian team for an unofficial match against Al-Kuwait in October 2006.
The former under-20s captain, who won the South American Youth Championship title in 2007, made his official senior debut in August 2007 when he came on as a substitute in a friendly with Algeria.
Lucas made his Liverpool bow in the Champions League against Toulouse on August 28, 2007 and went on to make 30 appearances in league and cup competitions in his debut season, scoring his first goal for the Reds against Havant and Waterlooville in the FA Cup.
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