• Premier League

Liverpool to make transfer market waves

Ian Ayre admits Liverpool will need to strengthen to cope with the demands of the Champions League © PA Photos

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Liverpool claim they are will be in a position to compete for the world's best players this summer after qualifying for the Champions League group stage.

Managing director Ian Ayre has promised to give manager Brendan Rodgers funds to strengthen his squad, with reports suggesting he may have as much as £60 million to spend, and is confident a move to Anfield will be attractive to most.

He said: "It has always been tougher in the transfer market when you are not competing at the highest level. We had the issue with Luis [Suarez] last summer because he wanted to play in the best games against the best players. That is always a factor

"We have always been fortunate to be able to bring great players here despite that but there is no question it opens up a few doors for us and makes it a little bit easier.

"We always expected the squad needed for next season to be very different to this year when we were not playing in Europe.

"It will cost what it costs when we decide who the manager wants to buy. That has always been on the cards. It is fairly obvious that we set out with an ambition to get into the Champions League."

Liverpool are within touching distance of winning their first league title since 1990, sitting five points clear of second-placed Chelsea with three games remaining. They can increase their lead over Chelsea at Anfield on Sunday, when Jose Mourinho is threatening to field a weakened side.

Rodgers' team are already assured of a place in next season's Champions League group stage, a far cry from the last campaign when they finished seventh and failed to qualify for the Europa League.

He is likely to renew his interest in Dnipro's Yevhen Konoplyanka after a £16m move for the Ukrainian winger collapsed in January.

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