Steven Gerrard hopes to welcome a new striker to Liverpool ahead of next season.
The Reds have had the second hottest forward in the Premier League this term, with only Robin van Persie outscoring Luis Suarez. The Uruguayan has soured his campaign after receiving a ban for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic, but Gerrard is convinced he and his team-mates can, at least for the moment, cope without their talismanic frontman.
And the 6-0 trouncing of Newcastle United at St James’ Park last weekend would perhaps back the England international’s argument, but long-term he is realistic enough to admit they need more firepower to complement Suarez. And with the transfer window just weeks away, Gerrard hopes this is something Brendan Rodgers will address in the summer.
“You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know we still need another striker,” he told the Liverpool Echo. “You look at top teams in Europe and at Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea, and they all have three or four top strikers. That’s something we haven’t had. In my opinion, to compete at the top we need to have three or four strikers.”
Only United (79) and Chelsea (68) have scored more than Liverpool’s tally of 67, but only Suarez (23) and Gerrard (10) have reached double figures. Daniel Sturridge has seven, yet he only joined from Chelsea in the New Year and it is reasonable to suggest he would have more to his tally had he been at Anfield all season. The other attacking option, Fabio Borini, has seen his debut campaign on Merseyside interrupted through injury, with only ten appearances and one goal to his name since arriving in the summer.
The latest name being linked with the Reds is France international Loic Remy, who joined Queens Park Rangers from Marseille in the winter. Despite the Londoners surrendering their Premier League status without much of a fight, the 26-year-old has impressed with five goals in 11 appearances. And with a release clause of £8million in his contract, he would certainly be within the budget set aside for Rodgers this summer.
