Liverpool's Ian Ayre: 'We can still attract top players without Europe'

Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre has insisted that the club can still attract the highest calibre of players, despite not competing in Europe next season.

The Merseyside outfit failed to qualify for the Champions League, as well as missing out on a spot in the second tier of European competition due to their seventh-placed finish in the table.

"We can still attract top players to Liverpool," Ayre told the Liverpool Echo. "Look at the last transfer window when we brought in Philippe Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge. Both had a huge impact on the team. As long as we continue to bring in players of that quality we'll be heading in the right direction.

"I've never been in negotiations with anyone who has said they don't want to sign for Liverpool because we're not big enough or not successful enough. We can still attract top talent. It's about finding the right talent at the right price."

Liverpool have already signed Kolo Toure from Manchester City on a free transfer, and are reportedly poised to clinch the signature of Iago Aspas from Celta Vigo.