Brendan Rodgers admits that Liverpool made mistakes in the transfer market

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Brendan Rodgers on transfers: Liverpool boss unimpressed with record…

Brendan Rodgers has broken his silence on Liverpool’s underwhelming performance in the summer transfer window, admitting that the club’s failure to bring in big-name players has let them down this season.

The Reds boss has sensationally revealed that striking duo Radamel Falcao, now with Manchester United, and Chelsea’s Diego Costa, were among his targets last summer, along with Arsenal winger Alexis Sanchez.

Reports on ESPN claim that all three players turned down summer moves to Anfield, despite Liverpool finishing second in the Premier League last season and sealing a return to the Champions League for the first time in five years.

Rodgers, whose side sit 11th in the table in their current campaign, 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.

There have been positives for Liverpool, with another of Rodgers’ summer signings – Emre Can – scoring his first goal for the club during Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Chelsea, but having spent in excess of £130m, fans will have been expecting more.

“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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