Liverpool news: Lucas Leiva move to Besiktas talked up by Turkish side's head of transfers

Lucas Leiva appears to be edging closer to securing a summer exit from Liverpool, with the head of Besiktas' transfer committee having seemingly confirmed that talks are ongoing over a potential deal for the midfielder.

Lucas, 28, has made over 250 appearances in English football since arriving at Anfield from Gremio in 2007, yet has not featured in either of the club's recent 1-0 Premier League victories over Stoke City and Bournemouth amid serious doubts over his long-term future, as well as those of Jose Enrique and Mario Balotelli.

The Daily Mail reported last week that AC Milan were showing interest in a possible £8m ($12.5m) deal for the Brazi international after a falling out with manager Brendan Rodgers, and recent speculation has also credited Besiktas with making initial enquiries of their own.

While the possibility of Lucas moving to Turkey could previously have been dismissed as mere paper talk, Besiktas's transfer chief Erdal Torunoğulları has since revealed that the player does indeed feature on their list of targets, with little under two weeks of the current transfer window left to run.

"Lucas is a player on our shortlist, talks are ongoing," he told Lig TV, as translated by Turkish Football.

Lucas made 16 top-flight starts last term and was a key member of Rodgers' side who went 13 league matches unbeaten between December and March before his influence was once again curtailed by injury.

His lack of first team action so far in 2015/16 is particularly surprising given that Liverpool lost the services of long-standing captain Steven Gerrard to the Los Angeles Galaxy at the end of last season and are also unable to call upon Joe Allen at present after he was ruled out for four weeks with a hamstring strain sustained during a friendly against Swindon Town.

Rogers has preferred newly appointed vice captain James Milner in a starting midfield berth alongside Jordan Henderson, with Emre Can serving as chief deputy after spending much of the 2014/15 campaign on Merseyside on the right-hand side of a three-man defensive unit.

If Lucas were to swap Liverpool for Besiktas over the coming weeks, he would be one of several players to have moved from England to the Super Lig already this summer. Ex-Manchester United duo Robin van Persie and Nani have both joined Fenerbahce, while Arsenal outcast Lukas Podolski opted to sign for Galatasaray along with former Reading stalwart Jem Karacan.

Fellow Brazilian Rafael was also heavily linked with a switch to Turk Telekom Arena, although he eventually agreed a four-year deal with Lyon in August.