Liverpool transfer news: Give me the tools and I will make club great again, says Brendan Rodgers

Manager calls for backing in transfer market, despite spending over £210m since taking charge in 2012

Brendan Rodgers, the Liverpool manager, has insisted that he would back himself against anyone to meet the club’s huge expectations, if he can “get the tools” to do the job.

Rodgers – who has spent more than £210m on new players since taking over at Anfield in 2012 – declared for the second time this season that he will “fight for his life” to be kept on as the club’s manager, despite the dismal nature of the club’s FA Cup semi-final defeat to Aston Villa on Sunday. But with striker Daniel Sturridge injured indefinitely yet again, he made it clear that he needs the club to spend on a proven goalscorer this summer.

Rodgers said that talk of the availability in the summer of German coach Jürgen Klopp, whom Liverpool’s American owners admire, was “the mark of being at such a huge club, a worldwide club”. He also pointed out that “three months ago I was [being called] a tactical genius” for the new successful shift to 3-4-3 and claimed that Liverpool’s “over-achievement” last season had led to unreasonable expectations now. “I will hold myself up against anyone to manage this club and to fit the model of what they want,” he said. “In terms of what we are trying to do, I do not see anyone better.

“When I came in the team was eighth. We implemented a philosophy that was exciting and won games and unexpectedly qualified for the Champions League. We’ve got to two cup semi-finals [this season], one of which we have not performed well in.

“The plan here and the focus is to be consistent winners; not to be ‘nearly men’. We do not want that label. I will fight for my life, as I have said before, to be here and if I can get the tools here to help us we can be really successful.”