5 players who could help Liverpool bridge the gap to Manchester City next season

These players would be crucial in the Reds’ bid to improve their squad depth for next season.

It is incredible how Liverpool amassed 97 points in the Premier League and still couldn’t win the title. Instead, Manchester City, who were superior to the Reds by a single point, took away the honours to successfully retain the trophy.

The season was near perfect for Liverpool, who lost just once in the entire campaign and that too against City. Alas, the seven draws which they were held on to, came too costly for the Reds!

Moving on from the loss, however, Jurgen Klopp’s side seek redemption in the next season as they prepare to go all-out once again and bring the title home, finally after three decades.

The only thing Liverpool lacked last season was squad depth and although bringing in options is something Klopp must be looking forward to.

Let’s look at some players who can prove to be the final piece in the puzzle for Liverpool’s title glory-

5. Neil Etheridge

After a commendable display for Cardiff City last season, which saw him keep 10 clean sheets, a rather surprising statistic for goalkeeper of a relegated side, Neil Etheridge made a good name for himself in England.

The 29-year-old is gifted with great reflexes and has a knack for saving penalties too. While Liverpool have found their #1 in Alisson Becker, a cloud of uncertainty looms over the future of Simon Mignolet and it could likely the case for him to leave the club soon. 

Considering that Cardiff have already relegated to the Championship, the Reds have a great chance to snap up Etheridge as an understudy to Alisson and the Philippines international would be more than happy to stay back in the top division. 

4. Junior Firpo

Junior Firpo is one of the hottest prospects from La Liga at the moment and is heavily linked with the Reds.

Heavily linked with Liverpool since the past few weeks, Real Betis left-back Junior Firpo is a hot prospect in Europe at the moment. The 22-year-old is a versatile player and can play as a centre half as well as a winger, thanks to his good physique and pace on the ball.

The Real Betis player could be a perfect fit under Jurgen Klopp's system and could add a great depth to the squad. However, the Spaniard's price tag would be something that would raise the eyebrows as Liverpool might not be looking to spend much in this transfer window even if it were to invest in a heavily talented youngster.

Moreover, reports suggest Betis might be interested in including Divock Origi as a part of Firpo' deal, something Liverpool won't possibly fancy.

3. Philippe Coutinho

Securing a dream move to Barcelona in January of 2018, Coutinho was surprisingly a failure at Camp Nou. While struggling for goals, the Brazilian also found himself restricted to the bench on several occasions.

Signing for Manchester United - who appear to be interested in him, would only make life even more difficult for him considering he is a former Liverpool player. On the other hand, Coutinho’s arrival will be a huge boost for Klopp’s side who looked to have missed his magical touch.

2. Ryan Fraser

The Scotsman provided 14 assists for Bournemouth this season, showing outstanding creativity.

Fraser has been an exceptional player for Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth since a couple of seasons and many top-flight clubs are interested to bring him in. The Scottish midfielder netted seven goals this season while providing as many as 14 assists in the league.

Fraser’s creativity in the attack makes him an exciting prospect for Liverpool as they look to increase their squad depth for the upcoming season. The 25-year-old can even be used as an option on the wing so as to have a second-choice behind Sadio Mane.

1. Mauro Icardi

One of the best forwards in the European market, the thought of having Mauro Icardi in the squad would excite a lot of Liverpool fans and although the move seems unlikely to happen, it would certainly make a difference for the Reds next season.

City have an unbelievable depth in their squad and if Liverpool are to match their title rivals of last season once again, Icardi might work as a catalyst in their stance.

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The Inter Milan skipper netted 17 times for the Nerazzurri last season in all competitions and it appears that the Italian side is looking to bring in Romelu Lukaku from Manchester United as his replacement.

Liverpool's Champions League heroics might be a huge point for the Argentine to consider moving to Anfield but more so, it would be a move much more beneficial for the Reds themselves.