Liverpool: Brendan Rodgers confident of landing primary transfer targets despite disappointing campaign

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is confident that the Reds still have the power to attract top players to the club despite failing to qualify for the Champions League.

The Merseyside club have had a disappointing 2014/15 campaign, and have failed to qualify for Europe's elite tournament yet again after a brief appearance this season, a first since the 2009/10 season.

The Northern Irishman, who spent over £110m on transfers last summer, will have to dip into the market yet again after failing to address a number of issues last time around.

Moreover, a few of the summer arrivals could be offloaded after failing to live up to expectations, namely, Rickie Lambert and Mario Balotelli, who have struggled to fill the large boots left by Luis Suarez's departure and the manager has already made signing a striker a priority in the summer.

"I don't think there's any doubting the Liverpool standing in football and the stature of the club," Rodgers said, as quoted by the Mirror.

"Of course the competition is much greater now than it's ever been, but we continue our fight to improve and develop. That fight is on-going."

Liverpool have also been in the news lately over the controversy surrounding Raheem Sterling's future at the club, and his agent's recent outburst that suggested that the winger is desperate to leave the club.

But the Reds boss is confident that the Merseyside club can address their issues and be competitive in the next campaign.

"The challenge for us will always be to put Liverpool back where we feel the club belongs. To fight at the top end of the table will always be the ambition," the former Swansea City manager explained.

"We'll do everything we can to achieve that. We know the areas we want to improve and next year we'll look to do that. We expect to be competitive."

"This year, in the league, it's not gone as well as we would like. We've reached a couple of semi-finals, but we want to be better than that and for sure we'll be competitive," Rodgers added.