Liverpool Transfer News: The 3 Transfers That Can Reverse Liverpool's Fortunes

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Now that Liverpool's 2011-2012 season is behind us, we can look forward to the exciting mess that is the summer transfer window.

Liverpool is a club that desperately needs several signings to pick them up from an eighth-place finish.

Even though the transfer market looks like an uncertainty for Liverpool right now due to the club being manager-less, we can still take part in the merry-go-round of transfer speculation.

Here are three candidates for transfers that would revitalize Liverpool's fortunes.

Dimitar Berbatov

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Recently, Dimitar Berbatov has expressed his displeasure with his bench role for Manchester United, and has resigned himself to leaving in the summer.

There have also been rumors of a swap deal involving the Bulgarian striker and Bundesliga Player of the Year, Robert Lewnadowski.

FSG needs to nip this swap in the bud and snatch Berbatov up before the swap can take place.

Berbatov has an unbelievable scoring record—he inexplicably only played in 12 matches all season for the Red Devils after notching 20 goals in the previous season. However, in those 12 appearances, he scored seven times.

The man knows how to take his chances.

Think of how much Andy Carroll, a young, bursting-with-potential striker could learn from a goal-scoring talent like Berbatov.

The striking corps for Liverpool is young. Berbatov is the injection of experience that both Carroll and Suarez need in order to develop and become lethal strikers in their own right.

Plus, as mentioned before, Berba still knows how to score goals. He could also provide the goal-scoring flair that Liverpool lacked all season.

Ibrahim Afellay

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The young Dutch winger failed to make an impact this season in an already-packed Barcelona squad, mostly due to a knee injury.

Returning from his injury, however, Afellay was beginning to impress, as he showed the dribbling skills, quickness and passing ability that attracted Barcelona in the first place.

Now, there are rumors of a possible loan deal for next season, and Liverpool, along with Tottenham and Lazio, are all keen on his signature.

Everyone knows that Liverpool needs a player of Ibrahim's pace out on the wing, since Stewart Downing has proved wildly ineffective.

Afellay would be able to provide the assists and goals that Downing failed to contribute this season. His speed, agility and vision would be a valuable asset to the Reds.

Clint Dempsey

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So this pick is partly because I desperately, as an American, want to own a Liverpool kit with Dempsey on the back, but I digress.

Dempsey had an outstanding 2011-2012 season, scoring 17 goals in the league and becoming the first American to score 50 Premier League goals.

This transfer makes sense on several levels.

First off, Demps has proven that he can score goals, and that he doesn't shy away from big games. He led Fulham to the Europa League final a few seasons ago, scoring a stunning chip against Juventus along the way.

More recently, he scored the only goal against Italy in the United States' 1-0 victory in February—the Americans' first victory against Italy ever.

Secondly, the American owners will be looking  to expand the Liverpool market into the United States. What better way to do that than to have arguably the best American player right now on the team? It's a very smart marketing move.

And lastly, Dempsey is a very versatile player. He has been employed on the wings, as a center midfielder and as a striker, and he can excel at every position. FSG would be silly not to pursue him and sign him before someone else does. Fulham cannot hope to hold on to Dempsey, so Liverpool needs to take advantage of the opportunity.

Dempsey has the potential to solve Liverpool's ineptitude on the wings and their abysmal goal-scoring record.