Liverpool transfer news: Vladimir Smicer tells Jurgen Klopp to sign AS Monaco's Kylian Mbappe

Former Liverpool midfielder Vladimir Smicer claims the signing of AS Monaco star Kylian Mbappe can help the Reds win the title next season.

The Merseyside club are fourth in the league table with 70 points after 36 games and are two points behind third place Manchester City. Chelsea clinched the title following their 1-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion on 12 May.

Jurgen Klopp used the trio of Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Philippe Coutinho to lead Liverpool's attack. Smicer, who played for the Anfield club between 1999 and 2005, believes his former club lack a quality striker.

Mbappe has been one of the star performers for the Ligue 1 outfit. He has scored 14 goals in the league and has six in the Champions League as Monaco lost to Juventus in the semi-final of the European competition.

The 43-year-old former Czech Republic international stressed that Mbappe will be a perfect fit for Liverpool.

"I think we need a striker. Daniel Sturridge has had a lot of problems this season. I thought he would be our main striker like Diego Costa at Chelsea, Zlatan Ibrahimovic at United and Harry Kane at Tottenham," Smicer told the Liverpool Echo.

"I think we've missed this type of player. It's probably cost us the title. If we had a striker who had scored 20 goals plus, who knows? We could be top.

"I like the Monaco striker Mbappe. He's only 18, but what I've seen from him has been really unbelievable for such a young player.

"Everything looks so natural to him. I like the way he plays. He would definitely be very expensive. All the big clubs in Europe will chase him so it would be difficult to get him, but if I was the Liverpool manager I'd go for him."

It is unlikely that Liverpool would make an approach for the 18-year-old striker. In addition to this, the Reds will face heavy competition from the top European clubs in signing him. Mbappe's form for Monaco has seen him attract interest from Real Madrid, Manchester United and Arsenal.

It is reported that the Spanish capital club are leading the race for the Frenchman's signature. Mbappe has admitted that any decision over his future will be taken after the end of the season.