Additions the Anfield boss should consider making before the transfer window slams shut.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has already had a productive summer transfer window adding four new faces to his squad on Merseyside. The Reds have signed Kolo Toure, Simon Mignolet, Luis Alberto and Iago Aspas ahead of the forthcoming season.
However the former Swansea boss has insisted that he is not yet finished in the transfer market and is still eyeing ‘one of two exciting signings’ before the window shuts at the end of the month.
The Northern Irish manager wants to introduce further competition for places in his squad especially in defence where the Reds look decidedly short. The Anfield side lost legend Jamie Carragher through retirement this summer and speculation lingers that Martin Skrtel could depart while Barcelona may also opt to move for Danish centre-back Daniel Agger.
This may see a necessity for another centre-back in Rodgers Liverpool squad while he also seemingly wants to bring in opposition for left-back Jose Enrique and possibly some extra acquisitions in attack.
Here we consider five players that Rodgers should target before the transfer window shuts:
Christian Eriksen (Ajax)
Speculation has picked up in recent weeks that the Reds will swoop for the Ajax playmaker who could be available in a £15million deal this summer with his contract set to expire at the end of the new season.
The 21-year-old Danish international is perceived as one of the most promising youngsters in Europe and has been attracting attention from clubs in England, Germany, Italy and Russia after hitting 30 goals in his 156 matches for Ajax.
Liverpool have been keeping tabs on the exciting attacking midfielder for the last year with a view to bringing him to Anfield and the Reds could now be prepared to formalise their interest this summer.
The Ajax playmaker, who has already won 34 national team caps, guided his current club to a third Eredivisie title in a row but appears keen on a move away from the Amsterdam club before the end of the transfer window.
Such a signing would clearly fit in line with Rodgers’ youthful transfer policy at Anfield and Eriksen would be viewed as a long-term replacement for Reds skipper Steven Gerrard.
Eriksen nicely works with Rodgers plans as he can either play behind the striker in a ‘number 10’ role behind possibly Luis Suarez or on the flanks as the Reds look to mount a stronger challenge for Champions League football this term.
Guilherme Siqueira (Granada)
The Brazilian left-back has been strongly linked with a move to the Premier League during the course of the summer with Merseyside rivals Liverpool and Everton favourites to land the 27-year-old.
Rodgers is ready to bid £12million in order to land the Granada full-back as he looks to beef up his defence with concerns about Jose Enrique’s reliability at left-back.
Siqueira can play either in defence or on the winger and he’ll add much energy to the Reds side that are looking to improve on last season’s seventh place finish.
Everton boss Roberto Martinez has reportedly shown interest in Siqueira after rumours grew about a possible move away for Leighton Baines. But now the Reds could be about to snatch the versatile left-sided defender from under their rivals noses.
He is understood to have a £18m release clause in his contract with the La Liga club and Liverpool could now raid the Spanish league again after securing Aspas and Alberto earlier this summer.
Granada will be desperate to hang onto the player who was ever-present last season but Rodgers will hope that an offer around £12million would be enough to persuade them to part with the former Udinese man.
Toby Alderweireld (Ajax)
The Belgian international defender has been the subject of speculation over a possible move to Anfield with his contract set to expire in 12 months and he has even given the green light for a summer transfer to Anfield.
Liverpool will, however, face fierce competition from their rivals Everton who have reportedly submitted an official £5million bid for his services while Tottenham are also understood to have entered the race for the 24-year-old.
The talented Ajax all-round defender has already made 24 appearances for Belgian and he is highly coveted throughout Europe with the ability to play at either centre-back or at right-back where he regular features for his country.
Alderweireld has already turned down a move to the Premier League with Norwich City but the Reds would certainly prove a more attractive proposition for the Antwerp-born defender as he looks to follow in the footsteps of compatriots Jan Vertonghen and Thomas Vermaelem who both have been so successful in the Premier League. .
The youngster slots into Brendan Rodgers’ young talent transfer policy but while still offering European experience with over 150 professional appearances under his belt for the Amsterdam side as Rodgers searches for a possible replacement in lieu of Martin Skrtel this summer.
With Alderweireld set to be available on a free transfer next summer, it is likely that the Dutch club will cash on his services during the present transfer window with a move to Liverpool in the offing.
Kyriakos Papadopoulos (Schalke)
The Greek international defender has been constantly linked with a move to Anfield since Brendan Rodgers was appointed as manager last summer.
And reports suggest that the Reds could reignite their interest in the Schalke 04 man as he finally makes his long-awaited return from a serious knee injury.
Rodgers has reportedly been waiting for highly-talented 21-year-old to prove him fitness before moving for him during the summer transfer market.
The player, who only started 10 games for the Bundesliga side last term, has now returned to light training with the German club but Liverpool would still need to be convinced that he has fully recovered from the enduring absence.
A proposal has been put forward that the Anfield club take the uncompromising centre-back on-loan for the upcoming season with a view to a permanent £12m signing next summer once he has proved his fitness.
Papadopoulos, who has impressed for both club and country, could act as replacement for legend Carragher at Anfield while the future of Martin Skrtel also remains in doubt.
The fiery enforcer moved to Schalke from boyhood Greek side Olympiacos two years ago and his mature performances have attracted attention from abroad with Zenit St Petersburg seeing a £16m deal rejected last summer.
Christian Atsu (FC Porto)
The Reds are understood to be looking to bring in the Ghanaian international winger in a £3million bargain deal with the 21-year-old’s moving into the final year of his contract at FC Porto.
Liverpool have reportedly held talks with the Portuguese club as they look to step up their summer recruitment programme after the winger confirmed he would not sign a new deal with Porto.
The promising African winger has spent his entire career with the Portistas after emerging through the youth ranks with the club but is reportedly keen on a move away after five years at the Estadio Dragao where he collected his first Primeira Liga title last term.
Porto appear happy to sell the attacker now rather than lose him on a free transfer next summer and has alerted Rodgers to his presence in a cut-price transfer. Although the Reds could yet face opposition from Tottenham and Benfica for his services with both club’s monitoring his position.
Atsu would certainly provide added versatility to the Reds squad, possessing the ability to feature on either wing or playing off a striker, and the arrival of a predominantly left winger at Anfield could act as a replacement for West Ham bound Stuart Downing.