Liverpool need to emulate Manchester United's transfer spending to return to Champions League says Robbie Savage

Robbie Savage believes Liverpool need to spend as much as Manchester United did in the summer of 2014 in order to return to the Champions League, despite Jurgen Klopp's appointment. The German manager was announced as the successor to Brendan Rodgers after the latter was relieved of his duties as the Reds manager on 4 October.

After a string of poor display and results in all competitions, the Merseyside club showed the exit door to Rodgers. The former Borussia Dortmund manager, who took over the reins at Anfield, has promised to win the league title in the next four seasons.

United had a troubled time under Sir Alex Ferguson's successor, David Moyes. The 20-time English champions finished seventh under the former Everton manager in the 2013/14 season. The Scot was sacked and replaced by Louis van Gaal, who spent £150m in his first summer at Old Trafford.

The former Premier League midfielder claims Klopp needs to bring in four players with the "wow" factor in order to help the Reds return to Europe's elite club competition. However, Savage's concern is that Liverpool may not be able to compete in the transfer market along with United, Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal.

"Jurgen Klopp sounded all the right notes, and came across as a charismatic guy, on his first day in the Liverpool job. There was no hocus-pocus about philosophy, just a sense that going to games at Anfield will be fun while he is manager," Savage told the Mirror.

"But without wishing to rain on his parade – and Klopp is nobody's fool – the reality of his task is tougher than the sugar-coating of his grand entrance.

"Louis van Gaal had to spend £150million in one transfer window to haul Manchester United back into the top four, and Klopp will need to spend at least as much to restore Champions League football for Liverpool."

"The German needs to sign at least four players with a 'wow' factor, and even with his dynamic personality and a promise of football at full throttle, will he be able to attract the biggest names to Merseyside, ahead of Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea?" he concluded.