Brazilian midfielder Lucas believes next season can be the best of his Liverpool career – because he's won a gruelling weighting game.
The international midfielder admits he was a lightweight when he made his £6m switch from Gremio in the summer of 2007.
But after piling on the pounds he now feels equipped to handle the rigours of the English Premier League.
“I have gained some weight this season and that has helped me be more prepared to play with the demands you face in England,” he explained.
“I have gained four kilos since I arrived and that's a lot. In my first season, being very honest, I had a problem with physical games. Last season, with the extra weight I feel I can challenge anyone physically and can go from one box to the other like I did in Brazil.
“Maybe it has taken me 18 months to get my body physically into the shape that it needed to be in to play to my best in England, but I feel that it is coming now for me and I am excited about my future prospects at Liverpool.”
Lucas also believed that being able to complete a full pre-season programme at Anfield for the first time would give him an added edge.
“I missed a lot of the pre-season first time with Liverpool because I was away at the Olympics with Brazil,” he explained.
“That meant that I started the pre-season, then I went away, and when I came back to the club it was hard to catch up. I had missed a lot of the important work that the boys all did together.
“Next season I will be here for the whole of the pre-season programme and I believe that will help me play to the very best of my ability when we start again in August.
“I will enjoy the rest in the summer, but already I am looking at coming back and being a better player next season.”
Lucas has never lost the support of his manager, Rafael Benitez, while he also received numerous plaudits from influential players at Anfield last season.
But there were times when he bore the brunt of fans' frustration – but he believes the experience has helped mould him into a better, stronger player.
“As an individual player I feel that I have become a better player this season, definitely,” he added.
“Everyone has bad days at the office when they feel that maybe they haven't played to 100 per cent of what they are capable of.
“I have had those days, too. Of course I have because we all have them.
“I think this has been the season which has taught me the most about myself. I have had bad moments over the last year with the crowd.
“It was hard at times, but it will all be helpful for me in the long term.
“Mentally I'm a better player. I've had the tough times and I've coped well with it and come through the other side.
“I wasn't worried about silencing people. In football you will always have your critics but you have to just keep going and hopefully when they see that you are playing well, trying hard and always doing your best, they will come onto your side.
“From my point of view, next season will be my best for Liverpool. I feel better physically and mentally at this moment than I have felt before at Liverpool.”
The international midfielder admits he was a lightweight when he made his £6m switch from Gremio in the summer of 2007.
But after piling on the pounds he now feels equipped to handle the rigours of the English Premier League.
“I have gained some weight this season and that has helped me be more prepared to play with the demands you face in England,” he explained.
“I have gained four kilos since I arrived and that's a lot. In my first season, being very honest, I had a problem with physical games. Last season, with the extra weight I feel I can challenge anyone physically and can go from one box to the other like I did in Brazil.
“Maybe it has taken me 18 months to get my body physically into the shape that it needed to be in to play to my best in England, but I feel that it is coming now for me and I am excited about my future prospects at Liverpool.”
Lucas also believed that being able to complete a full pre-season programme at Anfield for the first time would give him an added edge.
“I missed a lot of the pre-season first time with Liverpool because I was away at the Olympics with Brazil,” he explained.
“That meant that I started the pre-season, then I went away, and when I came back to the club it was hard to catch up. I had missed a lot of the important work that the boys all did together.
“Next season I will be here for the whole of the pre-season programme and I believe that will help me play to the very best of my ability when we start again in August.
“I will enjoy the rest in the summer, but already I am looking at coming back and being a better player next season.”
Lucas has never lost the support of his manager, Rafael Benitez, while he also received numerous plaudits from influential players at Anfield last season.
But there were times when he bore the brunt of fans' frustration – but he believes the experience has helped mould him into a better, stronger player.
“As an individual player I feel that I have become a better player this season, definitely,” he added.
“Everyone has bad days at the office when they feel that maybe they haven't played to 100 per cent of what they are capable of.
“I have had those days, too. Of course I have because we all have them.
“I think this has been the season which has taught me the most about myself. I have had bad moments over the last year with the crowd.
“It was hard at times, but it will all be helpful for me in the long term.
“Mentally I'm a better player. I've had the tough times and I've coped well with it and come through the other side.
“I wasn't worried about silencing people. In football you will always have your critics but you have to just keep going and hopefully when they see that you are playing well, trying hard and always doing your best, they will come onto your side.
“From my point of view, next season will be my best for Liverpool. I feel better physically and mentally at this moment than I have felt before at Liverpool.”
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