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The 2014/15 campaign was a far from perfect one for Liverpool.

Struggling to cope with the departure of Luis Suarez, the continual injuries of Daniel Sturridge and the ageing decay of captain Steven Gerrard, the Reds found themselves eliminated from the semi-finals of both the FA Cup and the Capital One Cup before ending the season with a 6-1 thumping to Stoke City, leaving them in sixth place.

The Anfield outfit fanbase considerable improvements ahead of next term and that will require a strong transfer window from manager Brendan Rodgers, whose dire record in the market has come under huge scrutiny during the last few months.

So to ensure the Reds boss doesn’t make the same mistakes, we at Football Fancast have outlined the five signings that would give Liverpool the perfect summer transfer window – without delving into the realms of improbability, of course.

Would these FIVE be the ideal summer signings on Merseyside?

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ASMIR BEGOVIC

Liverpool have been linked with Championship shot-stoppers Adam Bogdan and David Marshall over the last few weeks as potential understudies to Simon Mignolet, but most at Anfield would prefer to see a goalkeeper who can truly dislodge the hap-hazard Belgium international from his No.1 berth arrive this summer.

A lack of Champions League football probably puts Chelsea’s Petr Cech out of reach, but Stoke City’s Asmir Begovic provides a realistic alternative.

The Bosnian international is well-proven in the Premier League, enjoying five sturdy campaigns as the Potters’ No.1 and in that time winning the club’s Young Player of the Year, Players’ Player of the Year and Player of the Year awards – so there’s no doubting how highly he’s rated at the Britannia.

Begovic knows how to use his lofty 6 foot 6 frame and rarely loses his composure – which should ease some of the pressure on the Reds’ ever-chaotic defence.

With his contract set to expire at the end of next season and negotiations over a new deal yet to get underway, the tabloids believe Stoke could be forced to sell for just £8million this summer.

NATHANIEL CLYNE

Replacing England’s first choice right-back of the last eight years with potentially England’s first choice right-back of the next eight years seems like a simple enough solution on Liverpool’s part.

Veteran defender Glen Johnson will leave Anfield upon the expiration of his contract this summer and Southampton’s Nathaniel Clyne has been billed as his likely replacement.

In addition to muscling his way into regular Three Lions reckoning, the 24 year-old has just ended an impressive season at St. Mary’s, averaging 3.3 tackles, 1.8 interceptions and 0.8 successful dribbles per match as part of a Saints defence who boast the second-healthiest goals conceded column in the Premier League after title-winners Chelsea.

An athletic defender with quality on the ball and real tenacity off it, the former Crystal Palace youngster suits Liverpool’s style of play under Brendan Rodgers perfectly.

Clyne’s contract at Southampton will expire at the end of next season and without a new deal in sight it’s looking increasingly likely Ronald Koeman’s outfit will have to sell this summer.

Liverpool launched a £10million bid last month which was flatly rejected, however, and recent reports claim Brendan Rodgers is reluctant to increase his offer.

MATEO KOVACIC

Liverpool need a talismanic replacement for MLS-bound skipper Steven Gerrard and their preferred choice appears to be Inter Milan midfielder Mateo Kovacic.

The former Dynamo Zagreb youngster has continually impressed since his Serie A debut in 2013, this season bagging five goals and three assists in 35 league outings whilst averaging 1.6 tackles, 1.8 chances created and 2.6 successful dribbles per match.

He’s proved himself equally adept at No.10 and as a deep-lying midfielder, whilst 20 caps for the Croatian national team at just 21 years of age further underlines Kovacic’s enormous potential.

According to The Express, Liverpool have already agreed personal terms with the prodigious playmaker but are still yet to confirm a price with Inter Milan, having seen their previous £15million bid rejected.

ROBERTO FIRMINO

Liverpool have been linked with Hoffenheim star Roberto Firmino for some time and will be expected to revive their interest again this summer after another strong campaign from the versatile attacker.

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The 23 year-old boasts 23 goals and 21 assists in his last 66 Bundesliga appearances, in that time proving potent in a variety of roles across the midfield and the front-line. This term, he also averaged an impressive 2.9 shots, 2.1 created chances and 4.2 dribbles per match.

That’s seen Firmino ascend to starting status within the Brazil national team fold, netting twice in five appearances since his debut in October.

Resultantly, however, some new suitors have recently emerged on the scene. Along with Liverpool, Manchester City are reportedly considering a £20million bid.

CARLOS TEVEZ

Carlos Tevez may be 31 years of age but he’s still proving himself to be one of the best in the business, firing Juventus to consecutive Serie A titles and this season’s Champions League final.

Liverpool have been linked with the Argentina international and although he don’t fit the usual criteria of the FSG model, he could well be the direct replacement for Luis Suarez Liverpool failed to find in the transfer market last summer, boasting a similar blend of flair, netting prowess and tenacity.

Furthermore, Tevez is more than proven in the Premier League. He won three Premier League titles and the 2008 Champions League title throughout his spells with West Ham, Manchester United and Manchester City, amassing a haul of 84 goals in 202 league outings.

With his contract set to expire in 2016 and Juve linked to a host of replacement front-men, including Gonzalo Higuain and Edinson Cavani alongside new signing Paulo Dybala, the feisty South American will likely leave Turin on the cheap this summer.

With Arsenal struggling to secure Champions League football, manager Arsene Wenger will be looking to strengthen his squad in the summer. With Olivier Giroud currently the only real striker at the club, the French manager could be set to bring in another attacking option when the transfer window opens.

The Sun are reporting that Wenger will go in for Fiorentina striker Stevan Jovetic in the summer, despite the forward’s £25million price tag. A big fee for a 23-year-old, who has only managed 12 Serie A goals this season, just one more league goal than Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott have both managed this year. But with Santi Cazorla being the Gunners’ top scorer this campaign, it seems Wenger has relied too heavily on his midfield and wingers, and needs a more prolific scorer.

But is Stevan Jovetic really the man for the job? The Montenegro forward has scored nine goals less than the Serie A top-scorer Edinson Cavani, who has been linked with a move to Arsenal’s rivals, Chelsea. But at the young age of 23, Jovetic has plenty of time to develop and grow. Especially under the guidance of someone like Arsene Wenger, whose famous attacking philosophy could lead to Jovetic becoming a 20 goals-a-season striker.

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Arsenal have always looked to the future with Arsene Wenger, signing young players with fantastic potential. But with eight years without a trophy, it could be time for Wenger to stop taking the risk of signing young, unproven players, and instead bring someone established and experienced into the club. Something they had last season, with Robin van Persie. The 29-year-old was prolific last campaign, scoring 30 goals in the Premier League. And although van Persie’s replacement, Olivier Giroud, has scored 17 goals in all competitions in his debut season, the Gunners need a player capable of scoring more than 20 league goals during the campaign.

Despite Edinson Cavani being priced well out of Wenger’s financial range, the Frenchman still has plenty of options around Europe. Roberto Soldado has scored 17 goals in La Liga this season, helping Valencia to 5th place in the league table, just two points away from a Champions League qualifying spot. Nearing his 28th birthday, Soldado has impressed for Valencia, both in the league and in Europe, scoring four goals in his seven appearances in the Champions League this season. A striker that could bring experience and goals to the Emirates.

Another La Liga striker that possesses the experience Arsenal need is Alvaro Negredo. The Sevilla forward boasts 18 league goals to his name this season, and has been heavily linked with Arsenal’s neighbours Spurs. With Sevilla struggling to finish in the top half, the former Real Madrid star could be happy to move to a club offering Champions League football next season. At just 27-years-old, Negredo’s pace and finishing could push Arsenal closer to a top two spot in the league table.

Germany could also possess the answer to Wenger’s attacking woes. Stefan Kiessling has been in stunning form this season for Bayer Leverkusen, scoring 21 league goals with four games to spare. The 29-year-old has scored more than a third of Leverkusen’s goals this season in the Bundesliga, as they look set to claim a Champions League qualifying spot. Scoring only two goals less than Robert Lewandowski, Kiessling has proved his ability to win the ball in the air and score goals.

Three top strikers, all of which have proved their value and ability over time. With a combined total of 53 league goals this year, there can be no doubting their quality as top class strikers. The only thing not on their side is time. With the general belief that a player starts to decline in their early thirties, none of these players are long-term investments for Arsenal. However, Sir Alex Ferguson signed 29-year-old van Persie this season, who was key to Manchester United winning the league, suggesting perhaps it’s not all about the future.

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So Wenger has a choice to make. Does he stick with his blueprints and sign a young striker full of potential like he’s done in the past? Or does he sign an experienced, proven goal scorer capable of getting over 20 league goals in a season? After all, Jovetic is a big gamble.

Scoring just 12 goals in Serie A doesn’t mean you can score many goals in the Premier League. And with Arsenal falling closer and closer to 5th place every year, now might be the perfect time to bring in some solidity into the side, and sign a player who has scored on average every other game. But when you sign a big risk like Jovetic, sometimes you get a big payout in the future.

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Tottenham’s under-18 side demolished Arsenal’s youngsters 9-0 on Tuesday, and fans are calling for Reo Griffiths to make the leap to the first team.

With all the disappointment Spurs fans have suffered in the last couple of weeks, it is perhaps no surprise that they want some changes, and fans are hoping 17 year-old striker Reo Griffiths can get some first team action.

Top four is almost secure, and with no trophies left to fight for Mauricio Pochettino might favour youth in the final matches of the season.

With all the talks surrounding Harry Kane’s fitness, Reo Griffiths is certainly in with a shout of getting some game time.

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Fans were struggling to contain their excitement on Tuesday as the U-18 side destroyed Arsenal’s albeit weakened U-18 side, and most of the excitement was around Griffiths.

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The 17 year-old scored four (yes, FOUR) and assisted three in the match, and now has 27 goals in the U-18 division. No other player has more than 15.

Supporters have been going crazy about the young star’s performance and his overall form, and some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…

Footballers are a lot like cars. Some, such as Per Mertesacker, are like Range Rovers; beastly, dissonant and usually covered in mud, but not without their uses. Others, such as Alexis Sanchez, are like convertible sports cars; exciting, dangerous and expensive, but inevitably dependent on how fast they can go. And a few, such as Mesut Ozil, are like Rolls Royces – classy, timeless and always going at their own pace, yet somehow not quite as exhilarating as their reputation would suggest.

Regardless or type or model, however, every footballer and every automobile has one thing in common – depreciation. If you’re a smart man, you sell your car just before its value plummets, the insurance goes up and the doors start falling off. If you’re a smart manager, you sell your players whilst they’ve still got enough years left on their contract to pull a few bluffs around the negotiating table, and preferably before their leg joints start grinding into dust.

Fail to do so and you end up with either a metal or fleshy heap that can’t go a mile without breaking down. All of a sudden, nobody wants to buy them and you have to sell for scrap – leaving you short on finance for a better model.

At which point, I turn your attentions to Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere, a player Manchester City want and Arsene Wenger is determined to keep. This weekend alone, we’ve had reports of the Gunners gaffer issuing a hands-off warning – straight out of the Football Manager textbook – to the Premier League champions and rumours of a new contract in the offing to nullify their interest.

But there’s probably never been a better time to sell Wilshere than right now. He’s got three years remaining on his current deal and comes with a virtual guarantee of England involvement whilst Roy Hodgson’s in charge. The Gunners are even lucky enough to have found an eccentric buyer desperate to add a young, British model to his otherwise aged and foreign collection, seemingly apathetic towards the potential cost.

And right now, we don’t know what kind of car Wilshere will become. At times he’s like a BMW, dynamic, elegant and efficient. On other occasions he’s a Fiat Punto; small, ordinary and unspectacular, whining about all the other cars muscling past him at the traffic lights.

We do know, however, that for a 23 year-old, Wilshere’s been patched up and repaired too many times already – particularly at the ankles. His most recent sideline stint makes it nine ankle injuries since 2009, keeping him out of action for an incredible 112 weeks and resulting in him making only 95 Premier League appearances in six years. That’s just 16 per season; low mileage, but not in a good way.

Wenger sees him as the next Bugatti Veyron, but that’s dependent on him passing an MOT. And whilst the England international’s spent the last four months at the garage getting his ankles taped up, Arsenal have gone on to record their strongest Premier League campaign for years – now almost certain to clinch third or second spot after Manchester City’s spectacular capitulation. With Aaron Ramsey, Santi Cazorla and Francis Coquelin proving so effective as a midfield trio, would Wilshere even make Arsenal’s starting Xi right now?

It makes you wonder whether the midfielder is needed at all, or if he’s just one for the collection – a Wenger snazster 1.2, whose chavy spoiler and yellow paint job overcompensates for rusty wheel arches and a tepid engine.

Only time well tell whether he’s Veyron or Volvo. But Manchester City are apparently offering £30million for a player with as much potential to regress into an old banger as he does win the 2016 Car of the Year. It’s not often the risk and reward of keeping a player outweighs that of selling to a divisional rival, but in my opinion this is certainly one of those rare occasions.

Take the money and run Arsene. Buy a better model.

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Stoke manager Tony Pulis insists the club’s board are still right behind him despite their recent run of poor form.

The Potters have won just once in 13 games and their defeat at home to fellow strugglers Aston Villa last weekend saw them drop to within four points of the bottom three.

That has led to speculation regarding the future of boss Pulis, despite the great strides the club have made since he took over in 2006 with the Potters in the lower reaches of the Championship.

The 55-year-old admits that his past achievements will count for nothing if the current side continue to tumble down the table.

However, the former Gillingham boss insists he still has the confidence of the club’s chairman, Peter Coates, and is determined to steer the side away from danger.

“You get no grace for what you have achieved, people look at what you are doing now, and what we are doing now isn’t what we have done in recent years,” said Pulis.

“People question things when things aren’t going well. I am fortunate to have a family in charge of the club who are fantastic.

“This week the chairman has been down and had a chat with the lads. He’s a top man, and we are fortunate to have him here.

“The time has come for us to win a couple of games and put this right. Then we will look at what went wrong at the end of the season.

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“Things aren’t going for us at the moment, but when that happens you have to work even harder, and that is what we are doing.”

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Rangers suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Celtic on Sunday, losing 4-0 in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden.

It’s the third time that Brendan Rodgers’ side have beaten the Light Blues by a four-goal margin since he arrived in Glasgow and the Hoops have now stretched their unbeaten streak in the derby to ten matches.

With hopes of silverware now gone for another season, there’s set to be another intense period of soul searching at Ibrox as they try to figure out a way forward into the summer.

Fans were obviously left bitterly disappointed and annoyed with the performances from the Rangers players, not least Andy Halliday’s, who was hauled off by Graeme Murty towards the end of the first half after an inept return to the starting eleven.

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While many supporters weren’t happy with the manner of the substitution, there was little sympathy given his display and they took to Twitter during and after the match to share their unhappiness with his Hampden efforts…

Luis Suarez is set for a sensational return to Liverpool, with the Uruguay international ready to feature in a charity match at Anfield later this month.

The match on March 29 has been organised by the Liverpool FC Foundation and will feature sides led by Reds legends Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher.

It has been confirmed that the now Barcelona forward will make an appearance and Brendan Rodgers has confessed that it will be great to see the tempestuous forward back on Merseyside.

“It’ll be great. We’ve kept in contact since he’s been away. He’s a top-class player. He loved his time here at Liverpool. He always wanted to come back,” Rodgers stated in a press conference.

“He’s got [commitments] internationally but he’s making every effort off his own bat to come back. It’ll be brilliant to see him and great for the supporters.

“He loved Liverpool while he was here. He’s gone to another country, but he’s certainly adored here. The supporters loved having him here.

“Every time he stepped on to a training pitch, he gave everything. He’ll probably want to win this game as well.”

Suarez was a key player in Liverpool’s title push last season, which saw the Reds finish second to Manchester City in the Premier League.

However, Rodgers’ men could not hold onto their prize asset, with Suarez now starring in Barcelona’s forward line.

He was also embroiled in a number of scandals, namely the racial abuse of Patrice Evra and biting of Branislav Ivanovic.

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Money raised from the game will go to Liverpool’s foundation, which funds community initiatives across the city.

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Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is not thinking about leaving the Gunners and has instead made a move for his first summer signing in the shape of Torino defender Angelo Ogbonna, according to the Metro.

The Italian international centre back is highly rated and the North London side will have to fight off interest from Juventus, AC Milan and Fiorentina.

Liverpool were also rumoured to have been scouting the 24 year old who is expected to go on and become a top defender.

Champions League football will be key for Arsenal if they are to get their man and so Ogbonna is expected to wait until the end of the season before making a decision on his future.

The Turin club want at least £17million for their main man and so the Italian clubs have quietened their interest leaving Arsenal as the favourites to snap him up.

Wenger has a large budget to spend in the summer to finally get Arsenal back in the title race for next season.

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Newcastle United can move a step closer to retaining their Premier League status when they host fellow strugglers Huddersfield Town at St James’ Park on Saturday, and they will be looking for their third successive top flight win on their own patch.

After a decent start to the campaign the Magpies suffered a real lull mid-season that plummeted them back down into trouble at the wrong end of the table, but they have hit form in the last couple of months to which has left them four points clear of the relegation zone.

Consecutive victories on Tyneside against Manchester United and Southampton without conceding have left them in a good – but still precarious – position, but a triumph against the Terriers would certainly make them more comfortable, and leave them with seven matches to get the five points that would see them reach the magic 40-point mark, which would usually be enough to guarantee their safety.

Manager Rafa Benitez will already be planning for next season whichever league the Toon find themselves in, and he needs to be considering making big changes if they do survive.

The Spaniard will probably consider walking away unless he is backed by Mike Ashley or any prospective new owner, and he will want significant funds to improve his squad to try and help them start to challenge for a top-half finish next season.

Firstly though, he would need to move the deadwood out of St James’ Park, and there is plenty of it.

Full-backs Jesus Gamez and Massadio Haidara’s contracts both expire at the end of the season and with two Premier League appearances between them this term, they will almost certainly both be on their way in the summer.

Meanwhile, Mats Selz, Jack Colback, Henri Saivet, Achraf Lazaar and Aleksandar Mitrovic are all currently on loan with the latter the only one who potentially stands a chance of staying on Tyneside when he returns at the end of the season given that he has scored seven goals in nine games for Fulham since joining them during the January transfer window – much to the annoyance of the Magpies fans.

However, with Benitez clearly not trusting him because of his temperament, the Spaniard should look to move him on and replace him with another centre-forward.

While those fringe players will leave, the former Liverpool and Real Madrid boss will also be taking a look at the first-team squad he has right now and believe that some need to be moved on and replaced with better quality.

Between the sticks, if Martin Dubravka signs a permanent deal at the end of his loan and Freddie Woodman is involved next season after his loan spell with Aberdeen, the futures of Karl Darlow and Rob Elliot will surely be in doubt, with at least one of them – and maybe both – going.

In defence, Chancel Mbemba could go with Benitez obviously not fancying him considering he has played just 673 minutes of Premier League football this term, while one of Isaac Hayden or Mikel Merino could also leave if the Spanish manager signs a new midfielder this summer, with Jonjo Shelvey and Mo Diame currently established as the first-choice pairing in the middle of the park.

Up top, Dwight Gayle looks likely to stay but it remains unclear whether the Magpies will try and sign Islam Slimani on a permanent basis given he has yet to play for them following his loan move from Leicester City in January.

Benitez will be looking to sign a new striker whatever happens this summer – it may or may not be Slimani – and he should consider moving Joselu on considering the striker has been something of a flop having scored just four goals in 27 appearances in all competitions, and having missed some real sitters on more than one occasion.

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The 6ft 4in centre-forward can’t be relied on to play up top on his own because he isn’t prolific, and the club may feel that they can get an upgrade on him this summer.

Not counting Gamez and Haidara who will go anyway, Newcastle should be looking to ship out 10 first-team players – Sels, Colback, Saviet, Lazaar, Mitrovic, Darlow, Elliot, Mbemba, Hayden/Merino and Joselu – this summer if they stay up, and doing that would allow Benitez to bring in new blood to help the team push on next season.

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Brendan Rodgers is going to be a busy man this month but one of his main priorities should be signing a goalkeeper. Simon Mignolet has failed to perform in a Liverpool shirt in the Premier League this season and Rodgers has become frustrated with his inconsistent displays in between the sticks.

Liverpool will want to sign a quality goalkeeper that can slot straight into the starting eleven, adding solidarity and the ability to effectively command his area. Goalkeepers are usually available on the cheap so a potential signing should not break the bank for Liverpool, who will look to invest heavily in positions further up the pitch. However, the importance of a good goalkeeper should never be underestimated.

Here are FIVE keepers to take the number one jersey at Anfield this January…

Matthew Ryan

If Liverpool are looking to sign a long-term replacement for Simon Mignolet this January, Matthew Ryan could fit the bill. The 22-year-old has been earning rave reviews in Belgium, performing consistently well for Club Brugge.

The young Australian has been tipped to leave the Belgian league in the near future in order to develop his career in Europe further. He is currently playing for Australia in the Asia Cup but many Liverpool fans will have their doubts over whether Ryan can immediately replace Simon Mignolet this month.

Norberto Murara Neto

Reports in the Daily Star suggest Fiorentina goalkeeper Nato is the subject of a £2 million bid from Liverpool this month. The gifted 25-year-old has been identified as a possible replacement for Juventus veteran Gianluigi Buffon but Liverpool have jumped to the front of the queue in order to capture the Brazilian’s signature.

The Italian club may demand more money for a promising player that has featured 59 times for them. Again, Liverpool fans may have their reservations in signing a goalkeeper that is unproven in the Premier League.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen

Tipped as one of the best young goalkeeping talents in world football, ter Stegen would represent something of a coup for Liverpool as the German only joined Spanish giants Barcelona in the summer window.

The 22-year-old is believed to be unhappy with playing second fiddle to Caludio Bravo at the Nou Camp and may welcome a potential move away from the club this January. However, it is unlikely that Barcelona would let one of their goalkeepers leave permanently due to the transfer ban that has been enforced on the club. Instead, a loan deal until the end of the season would give Brendan Rodgers a short-term solution to the goalkeeping situation at Anfield and would give ter Stegen regular first team football.

Asmir Begovic

The impressive Asmir Begovic would be an excellent signing for Liverpool in January. The Stoke City goalkeeper boasts a wealth of Premier League experience and is widely regarded as one of the best keepers in the league.

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It will take a big bid from Liverpool for Stoke to even consider selling him and Rodgers may feel that he wants to invest the money elsewhere. However, Begovic would certainly be a quality replacement for Mignolet but the goalkeeper may have higher ambitions, seeking a move to one of the European giants in the summer.

Sergio Romero

The Sampdoria goalkeeper impressed for Argentina at the World Cup and has performed well for his club this season. His contract is up in the summer so Sampdoria may want to cash in on the 27-year-old this month.

The player has also been linked with a move to Goodison Park so Liverpool will have to move quickly if they want to sign the World Cup star. Whether the goalkeeper has the ability to become Liverpool’s long-term number one remains to be seen but he could be an effective short-term solution for Brendan Rodgers.