Five players for Liverpool to target in summer spending spree

Liverpool, odds-on 1/6 favourites with Coral to end a 24-year wait for a top-flight title, will give boss Brendan Rodgers substantial summer transfer funds to land top targets, now the club have qualified for the Champions League.

On the cusp of a first-ever Premier League title, Reds managing director Ian Ayre is prepared to invest heavily to ensure the Anfield outfit builds on that success. “It will cost what it costs when we decide who the manager wants to buy,” he said.

Rodgers has something of a mixed record with signings. The likes of Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho have been revelations under his aegis, but a number of other names have failed to settle or make an impression on Merseyside.

Coral looks at five players that could now be attracted to Liverpool, by the promise of Europe’s elite club competition and a potential Premier League title defence.

Ashley Cole
What better way to strengthen the problem position of left back than by signing a player who has won Premier League titles with both Arsenal and Chelsea, not to mention European competitions at the Blues?

Jose Mourinho has used England centurion Cole, 33, sparingly in recent months, but his outing in the Champions League semi-final first leg against Atletico Madrid showed that his powers have not diminished yet.

Cole is out of contract at Stamford Bridge this summer, and there looks little chance of a last minute deal, to keep him on, being tabled by Chelsea. Offering him a two-year deal would be a short-term solution that Rodgers should consider.

Kyriakos Papadopoulos
Schalke’s Greek centre half is stepping up his recovery from a nightmare knee injury and Liverpool were certainly interested in him last summer. Rodgers may go to the well again.

Defence is certainly an area at Anfield in need of strengthening – a point illustrated by the fact the Reds’ most recent opponents Norwich have kept more Premier League clean sheets than them.

If Rodgers want to transfer Liverpool from European absentees to a major force in elite continental competition, then he must add talent like Papadopoulos to the heart of his rear-guard.