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Brendan Rodgers says Liverpool FC must spend before the transfer window shuts if they are serious about competing for a Champions League spot this season.

The Reds boss was left frustrated this week when his hopes of signing Anzhi winger Willian were dashed.

The ECHO understands the club’s owners refused to match Tottenham’s £30million bid for the Brazil international. Chelsea have subsequently tried to hijack his move to White Hart Lane.

Willian became the latest marquee signing to elude Rodgers this summer following failed attempts to land Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Diego Costa.

The manager appreciates Liverpool’s need to live within their means but insists an injection of top class talent is required if they want to be competing at the top end of the Premier League this term.

“There have been a number of transfers we have looked at over the course of the summer. Some may have said they might not be for a club outside of the Champions League, but we always need to try to get the best players we possibly can,” Rodgers said.

“We have been very ambitious in our attempts to try to get players to improve the team. Some might say too ambitious but this is Liverpool Football Club. This is a big club.

“We identify targets and then try and get the deal done financially. Willian is a fantastic player. The club pushed as hard as they felt they could financially but it wasn’t to be.

“It’s the owners’ money and they will always have the final say because it’s they who run the club. The bottom line is he hasn’t come here.

“If you don’t get a player you want, there’s always that initial disappointment but you can’t dwell on it.

“I understand the climate where the club is at, but we need to push in order to get the best players we possibly can into the club if we’re to going to have any chance of progressing.

“If you’re going to climb the league, you have to have quality. There are still a number of days left in the window and we will do everything we possibly can to get the players in.”

Rodgers, whose summer transfer dealings have returned a profit for Liverpool so far, clearly believes his squad require just one or two major additions in order to launch a sustained push for the top four.

However, the manager is keen to ensure that missing out on Willian doesn’t impact on the feelgood factor following last weekend’s dramatic opening day win over Stoke City.

The Reds will be looking to build on that triumph when they travel to Aston Villa tomorrow.

“Whatever the transfer talk has been this week, the bottom line is we have some outstanding players here already,” Rodgers added.

“We will keep finding ways to hopefully win games and add to the squad alongside that. If we can’t get them in, we just have to move on.

"The players showed last week that for all the distractions and speculation over the course of the summer they are still very focused on the job of performing well and winning games. We’ll go into the Villa game with confidence.”