Rodgers plans to make Dempsey and Sigurdsson his first Liverpool signings

New Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has put Gylfi Sigurdsson and Clint Dempsey at the top of his transfer wishlist.

Rodgers has vowed to strengthen his Anfield squad as he looks to introduce the passing brand of football that served him so well at Swansea.

He hopes to steal Sigurdsson from under his former club's nose, and poach Dempsey from Fulham.

Wanted: Clint Dempsey (right) is expected to leave Fulham this summer

Icelander Sigurdsson has already agreed a £6.8million deal with the Welsh club but could yet move to Liverpool instead.

Rodgers said: 'I said when I had the chat with Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins, when I told him that I was going to Liverpool, that Gylfi came to Swansea because I was there as manager.

'I felt after six months that we needed a goal-scoring midfield player.

'His record is fantastic and I said to him, "I think this is the club for you".

'I pushed the club to make an agreement and they’ve done that in terms of the fee and the salary.

Decision time: Gylfi Sigurdsson (left) may opt for Liverpool rather than Swansea

'I said to Huw, "I’m not going to do anything untoward – this is the guy you want."

'But ultimately, it’s down to Gylfi. My only thing is that, if he comes on to the market, I will have to be interested.

'His initial chat has to be, I’m sure, with Swansea, because he had a good period there and did very well.

'The agreement is there now for him to come out of Germany.

'I said to Huw if I speak to the kid, I’ll tell him to make sure he comes down to speak to the new manager – whoever that is.

New man: Brendan Rodgers has taken over at Liverpool

'And if he’s not comfortable with that, he’s then in the marketplace – and then I have to look at him.'

Meanwhile, the highly-rated Dempsey, 29 – who scored 21 times for Fulham last season – has only one year remaining on his contract and the American forward is set to quit Craven Cottage.

