Rodgers wants more talented locals

Brendan Rodgers believes that Liverpool’s squad should contain more players sourced from the local area.

Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher are the only current regular first-teamers to have been born and raised on Merseyside, an area that the Ulsterman believes is a footballing ‘hotbed’ waiting to be tapped into.

“My big thing is getting young players in here from the local area – here in Liverpool,” Rodgers told reporters.

“Name me the best two players in England in the last six or seven years – Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney and they’re Scousers.

“You can’t tell me there are not top young talents in Liverpool. I know it is sexy to look in Spain, and I’m one who loves working with European players, but I want players from here, too.

“I love working with the talents and all my life I have worked with players from different parts of the world.

“But we mustn’t forget what is on our doorstep and, for me, Liverpool is a hotbed for footballers.

“They have passion, hunger and incredible qualities and we are looking from them. That is a massive part of my job and finding these players is something we are trying to put in place.”