Liverpool transfer news: Brendan Rodgers reveals summer plans, including completing deals for 'absolute top' players BEFORE World Cup

The Reds will be playing in the Champions League next season

Liverpool exceeded all expectations in finishing in second place in the Premier League season which has just ended, but manager Brendan Rodgers is already looking ahead to next season.

The Reds boss claims that the next stage in improving his side is recruiting "absolute top" players with Champions League quality, and Rodgers hopes to conclude the deals before next month's World Cup, which starts on 12 June.

"For me, it's about planning," Rodgers told liverpoolfc.com. "We have the core of the squad now.

"Two years ago, when I came in, I was looking to introduce new ideas but a lot of the players weren't there because of the European Championship.

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"That affected the start of the season. At least this summer we have the principles bedded in place and the players that come in will be the profile we want. It should be better for us this summer.

"I don't want to put a figure on how many but I would rather have one or two absolute top players than seven that might not help us."

He continued: "It's about the quality. We can't be going into the Champions League this year with doubts about players. We have to be going in knowing what the players' capacity to play is and their capabilities."

Rodgers, who won the League Managers Association Manager of the Year, added that he aims to complete some of his "business" before the World Cup.

"Ideally you would want to get things done beforehand but it is difficult because transfers are so complex.

"The World Cup does make it difficult but the club and ourselves have been preparing for quite a few months now so we will try and get the business done as early as we can."

Southampton midfielder Adam Lallana is a reported £20m target for Liverpool (Getty Images)

The Reds have been strongly linked with a move for Southampton midfielder Adam Lallana while out-of-contract Ashley Cole has also been touted as a possible target.