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Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers eyes Michael Owen, Didier Drogba

AFP

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers admits he will be forced to look into signing free agent forwards Michael Owen and Didier Drogba after his club's worst league start for 50 years.

Having allowed Andy Carroll to join West Ham on loan, Rodgers expected the club's hierarchy to complete a move for Fulham forward Clint Dempsey, who had made no secret of his desire to move to Anfield.

However, Liverpool reportedly offered a derisory £3 million (HK$36.9 million) for US international Dempsey, who subsequently joined Tottenham for twice that fee, leaving Rodgers perilously short of attacking options for the foreseeable future.

After Liverpool's 2-0 home defeat to Arsenal on Sunday capped a dispiriting week for Rodgers, the former Swansea boss revealed that he has already had frank conversations with his club's American owners about future transfer business.

"I wouldn't have let Andy Carroll go if I had known I had no replacement," Rodgers said. "How confident was I that we would get a replacement? Very.

"We all know we needed reinforcements, but the window has shut and we have to concentrate on the players we have here.

"I'm not here to cry, I'm very proud to manage this club and I'll do everything I can to turn it around and make it a success.

"There is no doubt that finances here had to be changed, that was the reality when I came in. It's something we can't do anything about. We have lost nine players and brought in three.

"From a business side the club has done well. What I need to do well for the future now is look after the football business, make sure we help the players that are here."

With Carroll's wages a reported £90,000 a week, his departure was a clear cost-cutting exercise by the club's American owners.

Yet former manager Kenny Dalglish was handed around £120 million to invest on a group of seven largely unimpressive signings, while Rodgers had been given far less to spend.

"It's a learning process for the owners as well," said Rodgers. "They've come in here and invested way over £100-odd million and made a big commitment to have me here for the longer term.

"I've aired my thoughts. We will reflect on it again next week and have conversations about the way forward."

When pushed, Rodgers admitted players such as ex-Liverpool star Owen, now a free agent, or former Chelsea striker Drogba, who is reportedly in dispute with Shanghai Shenhua, could come into consideration.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger had no such concerns after his team's excellent performance delivered their first goals and first victory of the season.

Arsenal won thanks to goals from new signings Lukas Podolski and Santi Cazorla.

"Everybody understood Santi Cazorla would not take six months to settle," he said.

"And Podolski is deadly when he has a chance; we see that in training as well."

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Rodgers eyes Owen, Drogba amid transfer woes
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