Lucas Leiva's five-year plan

The Reds are rebuilding after a period of instability in the dugout and three seasons without Champions League football.

There is now an air of optimism around the club under Brendan Rodgers, with senior stars such as Daniel Agger, Martin Skrtel and Luis Suarez projecting their belief in the new regime by signing fresh contracts.

For Lucas, this is evidence that the squad thinks special things can be achieved.

Asked by fans from independent Liverpool websites where the club would be in five years, he said: "In five years I can see us achieving a lot of things.

"The last three or four years have been very difficult, it's a difficult moment, but we'll start to achieve.

"Why not? We have to have that dream (winning the league) in mind. Everyone here is working to do that one day. We know at the moment it's not possible.

"But if you see players like Suarez and Daniel Agger signing new deals and committing themselves to this club, it just shows how much these players believe.

"I don't think anybody would want to stay at a club they really don't believe can win anything, especially foreign players, because if you are so away from your house, your family, you want it to be a great career away.

"In five years, I just hope we can be winning the league and maybe the Champions League. Why not? We have to believe that. This club has already showed many people what we're capable of doing. Why can we not get back?"

Meanwhile, Lucas was asked to explain quotes from Brendan Rodgers about him undertaking some scouting missions while injured.

"When I had the injury I spoke with him and he asked if I wanted to go to some games with his staff, just to make me part of the game and still looking at tactics," said the 25-year-old.

"When you are injured you don't go outside, you don't go to training sessions. It makes you feel out of the team and the football, so he just asked me if I wanted to.

"It was good."