Jamie Carragher is backing Liverpool to be back challenging for the top honours next season, but only if they get their recruitment right this summer.
The Reds fell away from the Premier League title race after Christmas, slipping out of the top four entirely and are no scrapping for Champions League qualification next season.
Injuries in defence harmed Liverpool’s chances of defending their title, while missed opportunities in front of goal have left their place in next season's Champions League in major doubt.
In terms of transfers, RB Leipzig defender Ibrahima Konate is one player who is being strongly linked with a move to Liverpool.
The ECHO understands that Konate is on a five-man centre-back shortlist that they are looking at, but Carragher is more concerned about the other end of the pitch.
Goals have been hard to come by in the league at Anfield in 2021, with just four scored in their last nine outings.
Carragher believes that the return of the injured players will considerably improve the team, but adds that an injection of new quality up the forward third is essential to challenging for the title next season.
“They’ll certainly improve, there’s no doubt about that,” Carragher told Sky Sports.
“As soon as you bring three centre-backs in who are already at the club right now.
“I think that improves them massively but we keep talking about centre-backs, but the bigger problem for me is at the other end of the pitch because Liverpool haven’t had injuries there.
“More often than not, the same front three, with Jota coming in, he’s the only one really who’s been injured out of the attacking players.
“That’s almost a bigger worry because I’m sure the defensive frailties we’ve seen at times this season will be rectified with the players coming back and also Liverpool signing a player in the summer in that position.
“But I think the big worry is that there’s almost a changing of the guard, almost this team, not coming to an end, but it has to be freshened up.
“The centre of the team, centre-backs, central midfield and someone to come into the starting 11 and break that front three up.
“It’s been amazing for four or five years but as we’ve highlighted on shows before, very rarely do we see a front three stay together as long as this one has, the lack of goals this season has been the biggest worry for me.
“Next season, I still think Liverpool will be the strongest challengers, but it all boils down to recruitment in the summer and who you bring in.
“I certainly think with Jurgen Klopp, players who have been there and won the title before and you’re bringing Van Dijk back, who possibly, for me, alongside Kevin De Bruyne, were two of the best players in the Premier League for the last sort of two or three years.
“So, if you’re bringing someone back of that quality and he plays the way he normally does, Liverpool will be a lot stronger. They’ll have the edge to challenge Man City next season.”
