By David Lynch

Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group are expected to reaffirm their commitment to redeveloping the club’s Anfield home on Monday.

The Reds’ lengthy battle with Liverpool city council over the necessary demolition of nearby housing appears be nearing an amicable conclusion, though specific announcements regarding an increase in capacity are not expected to be confirmed until a later date.

The Anfield Road and Main Stand areas of the historic ground have been marked out for refurbishment, in order to bring the stadium’s capacity up to around 60,000 – in line with Liverpool’s rivals at the top end of the Premier League.

As explained by fan site The Anfield Wrap on Saturday, the Merseyside outfit hope to begin the restoration work in 2014.

The news brings to an end links with a vacant plot of land on nearby Stanley Park, where the Reds club had previously planned to build a new stadium for which plans have been written off at the cost of £35 million.

Principal owner John W Henry has repeatedly spoken of his desire to refurbish Anfield following FSG’s takeover – two years ago to the day – citing concern over the escalating cost of a new build for the relatively small reward of just 15,000 extra seats.

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Lucas Leiva believes Liverpool can challenge for the Premier League title within the next five years following the appointment of manager Brendan Rodgers and the signing of new contracts by key players.

The Reds have failed to qualify for the Champions League for the past three seasons after poor league campaigns, but appointed former Swansea boss Rodgers in the summer to rebuild the club.

And with the likes of Luis Suarez, Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel signing new deals, the 25-year-old thinks Liverpool have the squad and stability necessary to challenge for top honours within the next five years.

“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?”, he was quoted as saying on the club’s official website.

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

“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.”

Lucas thinks the likes of Agger, Skrtel and Suarez signing new long-term deals represents faith in the future fortunes of the club, and will strengthen the team for the challenges ahead.

“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,” he continued.

“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.”

Lucas has endured a frustrating year with Liverpool – he was ruled out for three months with a thigh injury this August, and missed the 2011-12 campaign from last December onwards after a cruciate ligament injury.

However, Rodgers has utilised the Brazilian’s knowledge by sending him on scouting missions with his backroom staff, for which Lucas expressed his gratitude.

He added: “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.

“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.”

Roy Hodgson has revealed that Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney will take over the England captaincy from Steven Gerrard when the Liverpool midfielder retires from international duty.

With Gerrard suspended, the 26-year-old striker captained Hodgson’s side for the first time during the 5-0 victory over San Marino in a World Cup 2014 qualifying match at Wembley on Friday night, scoring twice in the process.

And national boss Hodgson stated it was always his plan for Rooney to captain the side once Gerrard steps down, despite the return of the experienced Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard to the squad.

Asked by reporters whether Rooney would be the future captain, Hodgson replied: “Yes. It’s something he’s very proud of and something he wants to do. He does take playing for England ­unbelievably seriously and that’s a good thing for us.

“Wayne [Rooney] was my vice-captain in the Euros [2012] – at least he was from the moment he could start playing again.

“Steve [Gerrard] was given the captain’s armband and I made it clear Wayne would be the vice-captain.

“Frank [Lampard] has come back in and ­captained the team, but I always had it in my mind that Wayne would be vice-captain.”

Steven Gerrard will return to the fold to captain England against Poland on Tuesday evening, but Rooney can’t wait to take on the role full-time after getting a taste of the responsibility of leading his country.

“Of course I dream of ­captaining England to glory one day”, he said.

“As a young player, your dream is to play for England and, once you play, the next step is to captain your ­country.

“I’ve done it now. It was a great honour and ­hopefully one day it can be ­full-time.”