Transfer news: Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers wants quality not quantity
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers insists that he will be looking for quality over quantity this summer when he tries to add to his squad.
Rodgers snapped up eight players last summer, but he does not anticipate such a busy time this time around, insisting he would love to add a couple of 'top players' to his squad, which finished second in the Premier League.
Rodgers, who was named LMA Manager of the Year earlier this week, already knows what he wants in terms of improving his squad, with Liverpool known to have already lodged an offer for Southampton skipper Adam Lallana.
"I don't want to put a figure on how many but
I would rather have one or two absolute top players than seven that might not help us," he told Liverpool's website.
"
It's about the quality. We can't be going into the Champions League this year with doubts about players.
"We have to be going in knowing what the players' capacity to play is and their capabilities."
And Rodgers admits that he wants his deals done sooner rather than later.
"I don't want to put a figure on how many but I would rather have one or two absolute top players than seven that might not help us. It's about the quality."
Brendan Rodgers
"Ideally you would want to get things done beforehand but it is difficult because transfers are so complex," he said.
"The World Cup does make it difficult but the club and ourselves have been preparing for quite a few months now so we will try and get the business done as early as we can."
Rodgers also believes it will be easier to integrate new players due to the fact most of the squad already know how he likes things to be done.
"Two years ago, when I came in, I was looking to introduce new ideas but a lot of the players weren't there because of the European Championship," he said.
"That affected the start of the season. At least this summer we have the principles bedded in place and the players that come in will be the profile we want. It should be better for us this summer."
Keeping hold of his quality players will also be high on the agenda for Rodgers, with Luis Suarez on Wednesday refusing to be drawn on speculation that Barcelona or Real Madrid could lure him away from Anfield.
Suarez signed a new four-and-a-half year deal with Liverpool in December, but reports in the press suggest it included the option for a move to either Spanish club, if they bid a certain amount.
The Uruguayan has denied the inclusion of this clause and insists he has already made a decision about his future.
When asked about interest from Barcelona and Real Madrid, he said: "I don't want to answer that. I try to avoid press speculation.
"I know what I want and what my agent says is good for me, but I don't want to commenton speculation."
Fair enough Suarez has gone and we need a couple of extra players now because of it but i don't see why that should dramatically change what Rodgers was saying here.
'One or two absolute top players' hopefully this happens.
