• Premier League

Liverpool undone by transfer failures - Rodgers

Brendan Rodgers bemoaned Liverpool's failure to bring in big-name signings this summer after his side slumped to a 2-1 home defeat by Chelsea on Saturday.

Rodgers failed in his summer efforts to sign an elite replacement for the Barcelona-bound Luis Suarez, with the likes of Radamel Falcao, Diego Costa, and Alexis Sanchez all opting against moves to Merseyside. That was despite Liverpool finishing second in the Premier League last season and return to the Champions League for the first time in five years.

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Rodgers, whose side sit 11th in the table this term, admitted they had to work "harder and smarter" to tempt the world's best to Anfield after new arrivals such as Mario Balotelli, Rickie Lambert and Lazar Markovic have struggled to make any impact in a Liverpool shirt.

"We know what targets we wanted but, for one reason or another, they went elsewhere," Rodgers said. "We have signed talented young players. Over their time here, whether it is with me or not, they will show they are very good players.

"We were in a great position at the end of last season. We had Champions League football and a way of working. We just have to work harder and smarter to convince these players to come."

Rodgers suggested geography was against him in his efforts to sign foreign stars, with the lure of the capital too much for some, despite Liverpool's readiness to offer lucrative contracts.

"Players look at where they want to live, the social factors as well as the football," he added. "If someone gets offered more money to go elsewhere, if they want to go to London, there is not much you can do about it.

"The club has shown its hand that it is prepared to pay the wages for top players. Whether they come is another story."

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