We all fans of Liverpool are getting very excited ahead of the upcoming Barclays Premier League campaign, and we have some very good reason for it.
The return of Kenny Dalglish midway through last season coincided with a revival in the team's fortunes, as the wily old Scot captured the imagination of the Kop with the arrivals of Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll.
While many lament the fact we will be deprived of European football for the 2011/12 season, but it will actually prove a blessing for us in disguise as we can fully focus on Premier League.
However, if they are to mount a credible title challenge, new additions could help bolster a talented group of players. Dalglish has already added the capture of England young gun Jordan Henderson for a fee of £20million. With the club's owner, John W. Henry, reportedly eager to splash the cash this summer, here are a number of areas that could do with some reinforcements.
Left-back
A look back at the players who have played at left-back for Liverpool over the last two seasons are a good illustration of the problems that are plaguing the club.
Signing Fabio Aurelio, releasing him on a free, and then re-signing him again had Liverpool fans wondering what on earth the club were attempting to do. Paul Konchesky was another who proved to be a transfer flop, ending this season playing in the Championship with Nottingham Forest.
During the 2009/10 season, young Argentine Emiliano Insua rose to the fore and put in a number of impressive displays, yet was loaned out to Galatasaray for the whole of this season. While the likes of Daniel Agger and Glen Johnson have adapted capably whilst playing out of position, Kenny Dalglish has to address this problem this summer.
The Daily Mail has recently linked Liverpool with both Lyon's Aly Cissokho and Osasuna's Nacho Monreal. Cissokho, 23, and Monreal, 25, are both relatively young and should fit in perfectly with Dalglish's policy of rebuilding the team with talented young players. Both are also defensively sound, but are eager to get forward whenever possible. Cissokho, who is two years younger and has Champions League experience, is likely to cost more. However, he has more scope for improvement and could just be worth the investment.
Left-midfield
Maxi Rodriguez's two hat-tricks in quick succession against Birmingham and Fulham covered up the fact that for much of his time at Anfield, he has never quite been physical enough to stand up to the demands of the Premier League. And at 30, he is not getting any younger.
A quick glance around Liverpool's playing stocks reveals a dearth of wide midfielders. Joe Cole has flattered to deceive, and looks set for a summer exit, while the fact that Dirk Kuyt, traditionally a forward, has had to toil manfully down the right suggest Liverpool could do with a couple of wide men.
Ideally, the Kop would like to see the arrival of a big name signing. Lille's Eden Hazard has been linked with Liverpool in the past, and is coming off the back of a stunning season, in which he claimed the Ligue 1 Player of the Year award, after helping guide Lille to the domestic league and cup double.
However, the club will face stiff competition for Hazard's signature, with leading clubs from Spain and Italy all interested as well. While Dalglish looks likely to have the financial backing of the club's owners, perhaps it may be wiser to invest in someone who would come cheaper, yet has proven his ability in the Premier League.
That man, could very well be Stewart Downing. In his spells with Middlesbrough and Aston Villa, the left-winger has made 244 appearances in the Premier League, and he is still only 26. Downing often gives the impression he is slightly injury-prone, but in his last four seasons, he has played 38, 37, 25 and 38 Premier League games, a sure-sign of longevity. When in full flight, there can be no doubts over Downing's ability, with his penetrating runs and dangerous crosses an asset any top-flight club would be happy to have.
Downing would have a great opportunity to make the left wing his own if he arrives at Anfield, which would free up Maxi, still a capable player, to alternate between either flank, thus freeing Kuyt up to play more centrally, or even up front.
Striker
The future of Liverpool's attack looks set to be the partnership of Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll. However, Liverpool's reserves in attack leave much to be desired. Dalglish should prioritise a young striker with much scope of improvement as one of this top summer targets.
One of the names heavily linked to Anfield since the transfer window opened at the start of June has been Ipswich's young hitman Connor Wickham, who has also caught the eye of Arsenal and Tottenham.
Standing at 1.91m, Wickham is a throwback to the traditional English centre-forward, not dissimilar to Carroll, but is significantly quicker.
The England U-21 international has already made 72 appearances for Ipswich since his debut in 2009, and while he has only netted fifteen goals, his overall gameplay and contribution to the team has many tipping him to be one of England's future stars.
Should Dalglish be concerned over this lack of experience at elite football, Barcelona's Bojan and West Brom's Peter Odemwingie loom as more viable options, although both have more glowing credentials, and are likely to cost more. It also remains to be seen whether either will be content to warm the bench for Suarez and Carroll.
Centre-back
The heart of the defence is one area in which Liverpool have recently been strong at, with Jamie Carragher, Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger all capable in holding up the fort at Anfield.
However, a closer look suggests problems could arise should something untoward strike Liverpool.
Carragher, the bedrock of Liverpool's defence for the last decade, is already 33 and on his last legs. With his increasing years have arrived more frequent injuries, which will only hasten an end to an accomplished career.
Agger is arguably the most naturally-gifted defender at the club, but he too is constantly plagued by injury problems. When fit, the Danish international offers Liverpool an added edge in defence, but how often have we seen him play ten or more games consecutively.
Skrtel, on the other hand, has been one of the club's most consistent players this past season, but he is more of a no-nonsense enforcer, rather than a ball-playing libero. While he does his job well, a partner in the centre who is capable of bringing the ball out comfortably would perfectly complement the Slovakian international.
With Sotirios Kyrgiakos surely not good enough to play for a club like Liverpool, it would be ideal if a young centre-back stepped up as the long-term successor to Carragher. Danny Wilson will be hoping he gets his chance next season, while it wouldn't hurt to experiment with Martin Kelly in the centre. While the 21-year-old has been blooded as a full-back, he definitely has the height and the ball-playing ability to play in the heart of defence.
However, should Dalglish desire someone who is ready-made to blend in at Anfield, the Premier League offers quite a few viable choices. If he is to maintain his recent policy of buying young English talent, Bolton's Gary Cahill looms as a perfect choice. Stoke's Ryan Shawcross is another outstanding young option, but with his background as a Manchester United trainee, it remains to be seen if the Kop will take to his purchase.
Nonetheless, if Liverpool could pull it off, they should look no further than Blackburn's Christopher Samba. The Congolese is unbeatable in the air and strong in the tackle. While nowhere as skillful as Agger, Samba is reasonably comfortable on the ball. More importantly, the Blackburn man-mountain is a born leader, and often rallies his troops on. With Carragher bound to retire in a few more seasons, Liverpool will desperately need an imposing voice at the back.
Villarreal 
