Liverpool will compete for big signings again, former chief executive Rick Parry has told talkSPORT.

Last summer, after losing star striker Luis Suarez to Barcelona, Brendan Rodgers found it tough to get a like-for-like replacement and, in the end, opted to bolster his squad with several players, including the likes of Emre Can, Adam Lallana and Mario Balotelli.

Meanwhile, in the last 12 months, Chelsea and Manchester City have landed two of their major targets – Diego Costa and Wilfried Bony.

And many now feel, with Steven Gerrard leaving in the summer, while Raheem Sterling and Jordan Henderson hesitate over new deals, Liverpool have missed their chance to attract top players.

But Parry, when asked if he feels they can ever battle the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City for star names, replied: “Yes I do.

“I think the owners Liverpool have got are really smart people. I think the financial fair play rules are starting to have an impact.

“We’ve suddenly seen last year the profitability of Premier League clubs improving, so we’re getting a bit more of a level playing field.

“I remember when Roman Abramovich first came in to Chelsea our policy was ‘we’re just not competing in that market’. They can only have 11 players, we’ll pick from the best of the rest.”