Despite losing talismanic striker Luis Suarez, Liverpool enjoyed a decent summer transfer window on the whole, with Brendan Rodgers swooping to nab nine new stars.
With the money received for the sale of ‘El Pistolero’ and the exits of other players such as Pepe Reina, the Reds actually ended up with a net spend of close to £30m despite splashing over £100m to get fresh players through the door to and a squad capable of coping with the return of European football.
Despite having numerous options in most roles, Rodgers may look to add a few more players to his ranks when the window re-opens, with Liverpool still short in some departments. And here are FIVE the Northern Irishman may look at…
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Victor Valdes
In truth a deal for Valdes could go through anywhen given his free agent status, but we’ll place him on this list as Liverpool may have to wait until around Christmas time to see the Spaniard. The ex-Barcelona goalkeeper is out of contract after leaving the Catalan club over the summer, but his knee injury has deterred interested clubs – rumours suggest Monaco pulled out of a pre-arranged swoop.
Reports in Spain claim Liverpool have agreed personal terms with the experienced stopper, who could come in to replace Simon Mignolet after one and a half unconvincing seasons for the Belgian on Merseyside.
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Sami Khedira
A few years ago a player of Khedira’s stature would have been way out of Liverpool’s reach. But with Champions League football back at Anfield and hopes of another push for the title genuine they may be able to compete with the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal to land the German.
Khedira is likely to ask for wages of around £150,000-per-week, but his transfer fee could be below £10m given that he’s now in the last year of his contract at Real Madrid. With Steven Gerrard not getting any younger, the 27-year-old may be a good option for Liverpool.
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Jay Rodriguez
Liverpool made a habit of snapping up Southampton players over the summer, and Rodgers may look to continue the trend in the New Year. Rodriguez was a star the Northern Irishman tracked, but a troublesome knee injury saw the Reds stop short of making an offer.
J-Rod impressed for the Saints last term alongside Adam Lallana and Rickie Lambert and he may be tempted by a reunion with the pair. Liverpool could also benefit from his versatility, with the England international able to play on either flank or as a main striker.
Isco
A loan offer for the Spaniard was mooted over the summer, but Real Madrid opted to hold onto Isco, even with the signing of James Rodriguez. The talented playmaker may grow frustrated with a lack of action at the Bernabeu in the coming months, which, in turn, could open the door for a genuine offer in January.
The 22-year-old appears to match Rodgers’ mould, with his technical abilities likely to make him a good fit alongside the energetic Jordan Henderson in midfield.
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Morgan Schneiderlin
One Southampton star that Liverpool were not too strongly linked with over the summer was Schneiderlin, but that may change by January. The Frenchman was excellent in a holding role for the Saints last season, and Ronald Koeman’s decision to give him a little more freedom this time around seems to have extracted yet more talent from him.
Offers of over £20m are likely to tempt the South Coast club to alter their steadfast stance that Schneiderlin not for sale, and he could be used as the heir to ageing captain Steven Gerrard.