Sterling silver

We were all hoping that Raheem Sterling would listen to the rest of the entire human population and accept a new contract at Liverpool. If recent reports are to be believed then we are all going to be disappointed because he is supposedly going to meet with Rodgers to ask to be sold this summer. Like many fans I would be sad to see Sterling leave but let's be honest, he hasn't exactly endeared himself to fans recently with things he's said in the media. Sterling leaving would be a blow to Liverpool's ego more than anything because I believe we have good cover in his position, and the fee for his transfer would be more than sufficient to bring in someone who could be ever better for us.

If Sterling is sold this summer he will command a fee probably between 30m-40m pounds. The owners would have undoubtedly put aside a considerable amount already as they need a new, top striker and strengthening in other areas, and they are going to be selling plenty of fringe players like Borini and Aspas as well. This money, added to Sterling's fee, will provide plenty of cash to sign some serious talent. So with this serious cash, who should Liverpool be looking to sign?

Sterling's replacement

Liverpool have quite a few wingers in their ranks already: Lallana, Markovic, Ibe, Sinclair and even Coutinho who can take Sterling's place in the starting lineup. That said I think Liverpool need to do better and there have been plenty of wingers linked with a move. Here are a few players that have been linked.

James Milner

The Manchester City midfielder is out of contract at the end of the season and has been heavily linked with a move to Liverpool. Reports say that a lack of Champions League may be a hindrance for a move but I don't think it will effect his decision too much. Milner does not set the world alight but he still has been one of the most consistent players in the EPL over the past few years. He is hardworking and a true jack of all trades, able to play winger, center midfielder, fullback, wingback and has even played as striker occasionally for Manchester City. Liverpool have a very young squad, especially in the wing area, and so to have a seasoned veteran like Milner playing for us would be a huge positive. Add the fact that that he wouldn't cost a thing to sign and it seems like a no brainer.

Javier Pastore

The 25 year old Argentinian has enjoyed a good season at PSG after a somewhat indifferent first couple years in Paris. I have said this before but I believe that Pastore is one of the best players in the world, on his good days as he can be somewhat inconsistent but at others unplayable. I saw him play during a preseason friendly versus Chelsea almost three years ago and I thought he was the best on the pitch and probably the best I've ever seen play. He sets up his teammates in ways others would never envision and his ball control is unbelievable. The downside to his play is he is not the best at tracking back on defense. PSG are also not short in the wing area and so Pastore leaving wouldn't be the end of the world for them. He probably wouldn't be too expensive, probably between 15m-25m.

Andre Ayew

The young Ghanaian winger is out of contract at Marseilles at the end of the season and has said that he will probably be moving. Ayew has said that he is a big fan of the English Premier League and specifically Liverpool. Ayew has done a decent job for Marseilles and Ghana, having a good showing for his country at the World Cup. He would be an upgrade maybe for Sinclair, Ibe and maybe Markovic but to be honest, he's not a whole lot better than them. His signing would be free so it wouldn't be much of a risk to sign him. I think Ayew would be a good signing, but Liverpool can do better and is probably a plan B.

Denis Cheryshev

It has been a while since reports came out linking the young Russian with a move to Anfield. He has enjoyed a fruitful spell on loan at Villareal from Real Madrid but probably still has some developing to do before he can be considered a top player. I doubt that Real Madrid will be too worried about the Russian's possible transfer as they have so many top wingers like Ronaldo and Bale. He wouldn't cost too much, probably around the 15m pound range and would probably be another plan B, but it seems like Liverpool have had to sign all their plan B's recently.

Yannick Bolasie

It is probably just typical transfer speculation from the media that has linked the pacy Congonese winger with a move to Anfield. In recent years Liverpool have made a habit of signing players that have played exceptionally well against them like Andy Carroll, Stewart Downing, and others. If that trend continues then it is likely that Liverpool will sign Bolasie as he tore them apart during Crystal Palace's game against Liverpool last weekend. His pace is electrifying and his play is anything but predictable, as the commentators said in the last match, even he doesn't know what he's going to do next. I expect Bolasie to sign a new deal with Palace this summer but you never know. He wouldn't be cheap either, probably in the 20m pound range. Liverpool fans definitely wouldn't be very excited about the signing of Bolasie, but he might be good at Liverpool, but we probably won't ever find out.

Steven's Farewell

I just watched Steven Gerrard's farewell speech following his last home game for Liverpool again and it really hit me. The reason I became a Liverpool fan was because of the 2005 Champions League Final, because Gerrard and co. showed heart as they fought their way back for the victory. As I became more familiar with Liverpool I realized how fortunate the club was to have a player like Steven Gerrard. He was a local lad who came through the ranks and now captained the team by example.

I've had some good influences in my life but to me Steven Gerrard was my true idol. I tried to play like him, live like him, even look like him. One of the best compliments I ever received was when I was in London in a JD Sports and my friends little brother said I looked just like Steven Gerrard, who was on a poster. Side note, I was told I look like Adam Lallana by my sister in law last week, another player I style after, another great compliment.

I am a Liverpool fan because of Steven Gerrard. I can't believe that he is leaving. I do not argue that he is making a mistake by leaving, I believe he has made the right decision, but it is still hard to accept. The era of the local lads, Gerrard and Carragher, has come to an end. Liverpool are now headed into uncharted territory and everyone will be asking, how will Liverpool cope?

There will only be one local lad in the first team squad next season, Jon Flanagan, who, due to injury has found himself on the periphery and may never feature heavily for the club. There are a few promising youngsters in the youth ranks from Liverpool like Jordan Rossiter but it will be a while before we may see any of them in the starting lineup. So the question is, will Liverpool be the same without a local heart in the dressing room? I certainly believe that it can, Liverpool just need to bring in the right kind of players.

Liverpool FC may not be as good as they once were but the passion is still there, especially in the fans. Rodgers and the owners need to ensure that the passion is not diminished by Gerrard's departure by signing players that realize how lucky they are to play in front of the Kop. A lack of Champions League will make things more difficult but it is certainly possible. I look at players like Jordan Henderson, Philippe Coutinho and Martin Skrtel as players that love the club and will fight to the end for it. They were all signed when Liverpool could not offer Champions League football.

There are way too many players rumored with a move to Liverpool and it will only get crazier after the season ends and football reporters will have little else to write about other than transfer speculation. There are only a few positions that really need true strengthening during the off season, a right back would be nice but a top striker is a must as it appears that Sturridge may never be fit. A center midfielder may also be added with Gerrard departing but I do not believe that Liverpool need an out and out replacement as Emre Can can step into that role if a center back is signed (or a loaned player like Coates, Ilori or Wisdom is promoted). Brad Jones has said his goodbyes to fans and so it appears that Liverpool are in the market for a new goalkeeper, although probably an understudy to Mignolet due to the Beligan's much improved form this year.

I will waste may hours myself going on and on about transfer rumors this summer and praying to God that Liverpool will sign top players. One thing that I hope most of all is that these players are fans of Liverpool, that they would choose us over others (screw Depay), and that they realize that they have big shoes to fill next season. One thing is for sure, it will be different next season, and I can't wait to see what happens. In the meantime I will be catching a few MLS games with my local team Real Salt Lake, who will be entertaining Gerrard's new team, LA Galaxy, in July. I saw Gerrard play only once before in a friendly against Tottenham in Baltimore, and I can't wait to see him again.

New striker rumors

It appears that the rumors of Benteke becoming Liverpool's number one transfer target have passed, or at least put on hold for the time being. In the last week new rumors have emerged of Liverpool striker transfers. It appears as if Danny Ings is becoming closer to a move to Liverpool now that Burnley have been relegated.

The other most interesting rumor concerns Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang with a move to Anfield. This is a post to assess if Aubameyang would be a good signing for Liverpool, and if it is a plausible deal. The 25, soon 26 year old Gabonese striker has enjoyed a pretty successful second campaign in Germany, scoring 22 goals in all competitions. He has scored more than all of Liverpool's strikers combined this season and so would definitely bring much needed goals to the team.

Aubameyang is most known for his speed which is considerable. Speed and high pressing is a must for playing in Rodgers' system and Aubameyang certainly can fulfill those requirements. He is deadly on the break with great vision and finishing which is something Liverpool have lacked in a striker this season. In watching him he shows similar style to how Suarez plays, with creativity, speed and improvisation.

I have read reports saying that Aubameyang is a Klopp kind of player...which means if Klopp ends up becoming Liverpool's new manager then this deal becomes much more likely to happen. The fact that Aubameyang is being linked with Liverpool might be implying that Liverpool are trying to bring Dortmund players in because they are going to bring Klopp in too. This is unlikely and to be honest a deal for Aubemeyang seems far off, but still possible.

Summer Transfer Calendar

The season hasn't even ended and Reds fans have already suffered transfer heartache once again. Rodgers may deny that they were never interested in signing Depay, but the evidence is clear that he is just trying to save face. Liverpool fans are not buying it and so the owners will look to bring good news soon or else face further wrath from the fans. This will be another important summer for Liverpool, though to be honest I feel that only minor adjustments are needed this time around because I expect last summer's signings to perform better next time around after a season of getting used to their new club. Rodgers has stated that last summer it was about quantity, increasing the squad depth but that this time they will look for more quality and said they are looking for marquee signings. Here are my predictions for how Liverpool's summer will unfold.

Norberto Neto
I think that a back up goalkeeper will be the first signing of the season, though it probably won't be announced until mid to late May as negotiations with Fiorentina and other potential clubs will be ongoing as his contract winds down. He will probably be told that the starting lineup is his to claim, though in reality I don't see him overtaking Mignolet after his impressive form this year. Still a good piece of business as we clearly need to upgrade our back up goalkeeper from Brad Jones, who will probably leave this summer with Neto's arrival.

Asier Illaramendi
Liverpool will be losing Steven Gerrard this summer when his contract expires and joins LA Galaxy. Liverpool probably don't need to sign a replacement center midfielder as Emre Can should be playing there next season, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to sign another. Illaramendi hasn't ever really settled at Real Madrid since his move in 2013 and recently has been phased out even more as Sergio Ramos is playing in the midfield now. The young Spaniard will be pricey, probably 20m, but I believe Madrid would be willing to sell, though I expect Liverpool to haggle for weeks as they usually do. I expect this one to be completed just before the team ships out for the summer tour in Australia, mid June.

Christian Benteke
Signing the Belgian beast will be the marquee signing of the summer. While many fans will be calling out for strikers like Higuain or Cavani, I think Benteke might be even more of a success at Anfield, and significantly cheaper. That said he won't be cheap and will cost around 25-30m pounds as he has been Aston Villa's savior this season and in seasons past. The problem with Benteke is that he plays quite similarly to Balotelli, who didn't fit into Liverpool's style at all. The difference is that he is very good on the counter attack on the break, which was the signature of SAS last season. Plus Benteke is a menace to defenders and wins almost every ball in the air, plus a killer poacher of goals. There will be haggling of course but I think Liverpool will will willing to fork over the big bucks to sign Benteke because they need a quality striker to replace Daniel Sturridge.

Martin Montoya
I think that the potential signing of Barcelona right back Martin Montoya will be the transfer saga that keeps rambling on all summer but won't be completed until the last few weeks. Barcelona don't use the young Spaniard but they will be hesitant to let him leave because they are under a transfer embargo so they couldn't sign a replacement until January. This one will be frustrating but Liverpool will realize that Manquillo and Flanagan are not good enough and finally shovel out enough money to sign a great up and coming right back.

I don't expect Liverpool to go crazy and sign the world's best players. Lack of funds and Champions League (and our manager/transfer committee) will also hamper our transfer ambitions. I think something similar to these signings in this sort of way will end up happening, and if it does I for one would be quite pleased. A backup goalkeeper would be a great addition, yet not a total necessity. Same goes for another center midfielder like Illaramendi but he would certainly add quality to the team. Benteke would be the marquee signing which Liverpool fans will be skeptical of but one that I think would be fantastic in the end. A new right back is probably the second most important position that Liverpool need to strengthen and Montoya would be a great addition. Like I stated earlier I don't think a complete overhaul is needed but additions like these would certainly make a difference as Liverpool look get back into the Champions League next season.

This is the price Depay. How will Liverpool sign top players again?

Clint Dempsey, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Diego Costa, Mohamed Salah, Yevhen Konoplyanka, Alexis Sanchez, Victor Valdez. Liverpool have missed out on all of these players and more in the last three years. We were outbid by Spurs for Dempsey, Klopp convinced Mkhitaryan to join Dortmund instead, Costa moved to Chelsea a year after Liverpool tried to sign him, Salah chose to be a bench warmer for Chelsea, we didn't offer enough for Konoplyanka, Sanchez chose London over Liverpool and Valdez chose Man U over us.

Today it was announced that Liverpool missed out on another top target, 21 year old superstar winger, Memphis Depay to Manchester United. So what is the reason Liverpool are so bad at signing top targets? Brendan Rodgers.

Many fans will place blame on the transfer committee or more specifically chief executive Ian Ayre on our transfer woes. They might be right, but looking at the previously named players you can see that Liverpool are targeting the right players...at first. The problem is that they have failed to convince those players that Liverpool are the right club for them, and then have to settle for players like Assaidi, Markovic and Balotelli.

Liverpool, under Fenway Sports Group, have made a concentrated effort to reduce player wages the past few years. Fans may blame this stinginess with player wages as the reason for their failure to sign a higher caliber of player. I believe that this may be true to a point, but it is not the biggest reason.

Failure to be consistently competing in the Champions League has been perhaps the biggest hindrance to the transfer problem. Liverpool missed out on a fantastic opportunity last summer as Champions League and an obese transfer kitty (from the Suarez sale) were once again at Liverpool's disposal to bring in top targets, but still failed to do so. With no Champions League next season (bar an epic miracle happens) it will probably be even more difficult to attract big talents to Anfield.

So Liverpool must look at what they can change in the immediate future to buck this trend of mediocrity in the transfer market. The change that can make all the difference is the managerial seat. Players want to play for top managers, it is an obvious statement, but important to understand. Under Rafael Benitez Liverpool signed players like Torres, Mascherano, Xabi Alonso, Luis Garcia, Reina, to name a few. Even under Dalglish, who had been out of the managerial game for years, was able to attract the likes of Carrol, Suarez and Henderson.

Now we look at Rodgers. When he was appointed Liverpool manager he had just had a surprisingly successful first season with Swansea in the Premier League. Rodgers' first signings were Borini and Allen (who he knew from his time with them at Swansea), Assaidi, and a loan move for Nuri Sahin. It is safe to say that all of those signings have not been successful for Liverpool. When Liverpool appointed Rodgers they began to implement a new transfer policy based on signing young talents with potential to grow into superstars. Rodgers hit the jackpot with the January signings of Sturridge and Coutinho but since then none of his young signings have been able to replicate such miraculous growth.

And then Liverpool entered into the era of missing out on players. I believe that it is Rodgers' reputation that is to blame for transfer failings.  It is clear that many Liverpool players do not respect Rodgers.When players have the choice to play for the likes of Wenger, Klopp, Mourinho,van Gaal or Rodgers, most players will choose the formers. And so this brings us to what Liverpool can do to solve this problem, they can bring in a manager of elite status, a manager who top players want to play for.

Liverpool should be doing all they can to bring in one of the top managers in the world this summer who in recent weeks made it be known that he is seeking employment elsewhere. Jurgen Klopp will certainly have many suitors this summer, but this is one transfer that I hope Liverpool can pull off, and by doing so will be able to pull off many top transfers in the future that previously would have escaped us.

An in-between and more probable 2015/16 starting 11

Liverpool are set to undergo more changes in personnel this summer, yet I expect a similar squad for next season.

Mignolet has turned things around this year and currently holds the clean sheet record in the EPL so I would not be opposed to him carrying on next season as number one. Manquillo started the season as the starting right back but lost out to wing backs and now Johnson. He is decent but still has a way to go, yet I think he will continue to improve. Plus good right backs are a dime a dozen these days. Skrtel will probably sign a new contract before the end of the season, yay. Let's hope that Sakho can stay fit next season as he has shown he can be a very decent center back this season. Moreno had a decent yet uneven first season at Liverpool. Like Manquillo he is still very young and will continue to get better. He will become one of the best left backs in the world one day.

Emre Can has become a starting center back since the switch back to three at the back, yet seeing him make forward runs it is clear that he is more useful in the midfield. With Gerrard leaving this summer and Lucas being injured on a frequent basis I would bet that Can will start more games. Henderson will most undoubtedly become the new Liverpool captain and he deserves it. He has come a long way and has become one of Liverpool's most consistent performers. Rounding off the midfield is Coutinho, who recently made it into the EPL's Best 11 for his performances this year. His numbers aren't awesome but he has become an awesome player. He can be somewhat inconsistent and less effective against tougher opposition or when teams park the bus, which is something he can hopefully improve on next season. Plus he needs to grow out his hair to how it was when he first arrived when he looked like a proper Brazilian.

The biggest changes will most likely happen in the attacking positions. Sturridge is injured for the long haul once again and every other striker isn't good enough. There have been some big names linked with a move to Liverpool but I think they will end up signing Benteke as one of their two marquee signings. He has impressed me immensely in recent weeks and his goals to games played ratio is crazy good this season. Forget the overpriced and over hyped strikers, sign Benteke up! Sterling will have one year left on his current contract and I expect him to stay even if he doesn't sign a new one this summer, that is unless Manchester City are desperate for English blood and fork out the big bucks. If so then there are plenty of other options including Lallana, Ibe and Markovic. Last of the attacking three will hopefully be Depay from PSV. There are a lot of clubs going after the young Dutch winger but Liverpool seem to be one of the top suitors for his signature. These changes up front are sure to bring many more goals for Liverpool than this season.

Please no more half measures this summer

Life as a Liverpool fan has been difficult since Suarez left us. The current squad is just not good enough for Liverpool. The reason Liverpool have gone so long without a title has been failing in the transfer window, a fact that Stan Collymore pointed out this week. In order to bring the good times back to Liverpool serious changes need to happen. Here is my dream team for 2015/16.

Goalkeeper

Cech or Lloris in. Brad Jones out.

Goalkeeper is not an area that needs massive improvement as Mignolet has done a bang up job since being dropped in December, but we can always do better. Cech and Lloris are definitely upgrades on Mignolet and so I would be happy to see either play for Liverpool.

Right back

Daryl Janmaat or Serge Aurier in. Johnson out, Manquillo out, Flanagan loaned out.

Earlier today I saw Glen Johnson play right wing back for us once again and it was painful to watch. Manquillo is an okay player but offers little to nothing going forward, which doesn't suit this 3-4-3 system we are currently playing. Flangan is still recovering from a season long injury and plays similarly to Manquillo. Obviously serious changes are needed at right back and so the transfer committee needs to make it a priority. They solved the left back problem with Moreno and need a similar kind of player on the right. To be honest decent right backs are hard to come by these days. Nathaniel Clyne would be the perfect match but it appears as though he already has all but signed for Manchester United. Daryl Janmaat impressed playing for Holland in the World Cup and has been one of the bright spots of Newcastles torrid season. He is able to also play center back, which makes him perfect for our current system. He is still decent going forward as a right back, as he did so in the World Cup. Prying him away from Newcastle could be difficult though. Serge Aurier was linked with many Premier League teams last summer before he sealed a season long loan move to PSG. He hasn't been first choice this season and so I expect that he will have many suitors. He is more of a true right back with pace and decent attacking threat. 

Center Backs

Papadopoulos in, Toure and Coates out

Despite all of the stick that our center backs, especially Lovren, get I don't think that we need to make serious changes in this position. Skrtel has been great and Sakho has shown how good he can be as well. Since Liverpool shoved out such an enormous fee for Lovren I think they should give him one more season to prove himself. If Rodgers insists with the 3 center backs then he needs to get someone to take Can's spot. Can has done well but it is clearly not his best position and Janmaat or Schalke's Kyriakos Papadopoulos would be good replacements. Good center backs are also hard to come by which makes improving in the position hard for Liverpool at the moment. Papadopoulos made a loan move to Bayern Leverkusen this season and hasn't played a ton but lately he is getting more game time. He isn't the fastest but his physical presence is massive and would be very helpful to Liverpool's back line. If Liverpool don't bring another center back it wouldn't be the end of the world.

Left Back

Stay the same

I don't see any reason to change things around at left back. Moreno has had some shaky moments but he is still extremely young and he has shown us how good he can be this season. Behind him in the pecking order is the social media freak Jose Enrique, who is a good back up.

Center midfielder

Nainggolan in. Gerrard out.

Everyone knows that Gerrard is leaving at the end of the season and everyone knows that Liverpool need to bring in a new midfielder to help in midfield. We don't need to sign another Gerrard, what we need is a solid midfielder who can allow the likes of Henderson, Coutinho and Allen to do their thing. A new midfielder isn't as important as other positions but I do believe that getting a quality midfielder in will do wonders. We don't need a midfielder like Coutinho, Lallana or Markovic but a player who can tackle and cover. Nadja Nainggolan of Roma can certainly do that so I would like to see Liverpool sign him.

Attacking midfield/winger
Depay and Milner in. Markovic out.
Liverpool signed both Markovic and Lallana last summer but neither has made serious contributions. Sterling has done well but because of it his head has grown too big and might look to move elsewhere. Liverpool needs to do all they can to convince Sterling to stay. That said I believe it wouldn't hurt to improve in the winger position and in doing so provide a back up if Sterling leaves. Memphis Depay is another Dutch player that shone on the main stage of the World Cup and has continued to improve in club play with PSV, who just won their first title in 8 years. This kid is seriously good, and only 21 years old. He will be one of the most coveted players of this coming transfer window so if Liverpool can sign him it would be a major coup. Manchester United are said to already be in negotiations, as has Liverpool, but I am hoping that we sign him. If we do sign him then someone will have to make way and I believe that would be either Markovic or Ibe, and I like Ibe. It also appears that Liverpool have already negotiated a deal for out of contract player James Milner who will be leaving Man City in the summer. He would bring precious winning experience and versatility that would be invaluable to our team. His main position is winger but I could see him excelling in a wingback role as well, or even in center midfield.

Striker
Cavani or Jovetic or Higuain or Lacazette, and Ings in. Balotelli, Borini and maybe Lambert out.
Liverpool need a new striker. Suarez was not adequately replaced and as a result Liverpool have only scored 47 goals in 34 games, while last season we had scored 94 in as many games. Balotelli was a risk but most of us knew it would fail. Liverpool need to go big this summer or they will endure another goal shy campaign as Sturridge is out half the time with broken nails or paper cuts. Edinson Cavani is my choice for striker, but it is quite a long shot as PSG bought him for 50m and are in no need for cash. Gonzalo Higuain is next on my list and is a more realistic target for Liverpool. Higuain has done good at his time at Napoli over the past 2 years, but not brilliant. I believe he would do very well at Liverpool, he has the same style as Suarez which would possibly help his teammates sync together like they did last season. Higuain wouldn't be cheap either but I think 30m would do the trick. The most realistic of the three is Stevan Jovetic, but even he is a bit of a long shot because I am sure Manchester City will not want to sell to a rival, especially if Milner ends up signing for us. Jovetic is quite similar to Higuain but injuries and stiff competition have kept Jovetic from getting enough playing time to truly prove himself, though he certainly has shown us glimpses of his talent. I would be happy with any of these three strikers. Last of the superstars would be Lacazette of Lyon. The Frenchman has been linked with all the top European sides this season as he has been scoring for fun. He has pace and a special eye for goal and is also able to play in any advanced position. Competition for him will be fierce but I would be very happy if Liverpool signed him. Now on to Danny Ings, who will undoubtedly look to move in order to have another season of the Premier League after Burnley look like being relegated. Ings has shone despite Burnley's troubles and Liverpool are long time admirers of the young English player. He is also out of contract in the summer so he is free, so a move totally makes sense. I believe that every striker besides Sturridge should leave this summer. Balotelli has been trying hard lately but just isn't what Liverpool needs. Liverpool have been trying to get rid of Borini almost as soon as they signed him 3 years ago and I expect him to leave in the summer as he got almost no playing time this season. Lambert is a tough one. His transfer was an emotional one as he was a boyhood supporter of Liverpool finally playing for the team he loves. His style isn't really suited for Liverpool but he offers a Plan B and has no shortage of passion. If Liverpool get a good offer I say sell but I wouldn't mind if he stayed for another season, especially if we qualify for Europa League.

Here is what my dream team would look like for the 2015/16 season.


Here is what will most likely happen.