Liverpool Summer Transfer Rumors: All the Best Players Linked to Reds

Will Liverpool's victory in the Carling Cup final begin a new dawn for the Merseyside club?

It is not entirely out of the question. As many thought about Arsenal around this time last year, that one elusive victory can open the floodgates for more success and put fresh silverware in the cabinets at Anfield.

With a wealthy and ambitious owner, cup success will likely be the catalyst for another round of spending at Liverpool, as the club looks to build around an established core and begin to challenge for the league title and Champions League qualification.

They are certainly a club on the rise, and here are the players who they are rumored to be targeting to take the team to the next level.

Javi Martinez

Javi Martinez has starred this season for Athletic Bilbao after winning the U-21 championship last summer with the Spanish national team.

Martinez would be a great fit for Liverpool, as he would add youth and stability to their midfield, potentially forming a very solid partnership with the currently injured Lucas Leiva.

He has been linked to the Reds as part of a larger summer spending spree, but this is one of the most intelligent, valuable moves that the club could make. 

Leandro Damiao

Leandro Damiao seems to be linked with a new English club every week. The young Brazilian has seen himself mentioned in possible deals to Arsenal and Tottenham, but a new connection to the North of England is now emerging.

That is because the Internacional striker has been touted as a solution to Liverpool's goal-scoring woes, and the thought of Damiao linking up with fellow striker Luis Suarez is scary for the rest of the league.

He is a young, powerful forward who has already established himself on the international stage, and a move to Europe would seem to be inevitable for Damiao.

Seydou Keita

Barcelona midfielder Seydou Keita has been linked with a move to Anfield more than any other player recently, as he is rumored to want more playing time than he is currently receiving at Barcelona.

It is easy to get overshadowed when you are forced to compete for playing time with perhaps the best midfield quartet of this generation, but the 32-year-old Keita is nevertheless a quality player.

For Keita to play football "week in, week out," he would be well served to pack his bags for Liverpool than to watch the heroics of Xavi, Iniesta, Fabregas and Sergio Busquets.

He may not have the impact of Steven Gerrard, but Keita can certainly add depth and class to Liverpool's midfield.

Fabricio Coloccini

If Liverpool want to reinforce their defence and add depth to their back line this summer, they could do a lot worse than Newcastle's Fabricio Coloccini.

The Argentine reportedly has 18 months left on his contract with the Magpies and has been unwilling to discuss a new deal.

Coloccini has been an essential part of Newcastle's rise up the standings this year, anchoring their defence and providing the sort of leadership that all top sides need.

He could be that one player who improbably takes a side from good to great.

Mauricio Isla

Udinese's right back Mauricio Isla is attracting interest from big clubs, according to his agent.

Among those is Liverpool, who would appear to have no use for a top-class right back due to Glen Johnson's resurgence this season.

But, in addition to the depth he would provide, Isla could slot in on the right wing if needed, and he would give Liverpool the type of versatility that is often undervalued.

Javi Garcia

Javi Garcia of Benfica reportedly impressed Manchester United when he faced the Red Devils in the Champions League (back when they were still in it), and now, other teams are catching on to Garcia's talent.

Garcia reportedly has a buyout clause of £25.1 million, and although that price might put Liverpool off, a competition with hated rivals Manchester United and Manchester City for the player's services might just motivate the Reds a bit.

The Spaniard is a holding midfielder who could form a very solid partnership with Lucas Leiva in the center of the pitch.

Lord knows that Liverpool already have enough midfielders, but there would be few better young talents from abroad to add to the center of the pitch than Javi Garcia.

Dieumerci Mbokani

Dieumerci Mbokani's name is nearly impossible to type and even harder to pronounce. Yet, if reports are to be believed, Liverpudlians will have to learn fast.

Mbokani's agent is trumpeting the skills of his 26-year-old client, saying that he "is currently playing with tremendous confidence" and "is too good for the Belgian league, and he knows it."

That is very assured language, and he will face a challenge to keep up his impressive goal-scoring record should he move to the Premier League during the summer.

Marko Marin

As some of Liverpool's wingers continue to disappoint (Stewart Downing) and others begin to succumb to the brutal aging process (Dirk Kuyt and Craig Bellamy), Kenny Dalglish might want to turn to youth to revitalize his attack.

Werder Bremen's Marko Marin has impressed with the German side this season as they toil in Bundesliga mediocrity.

As such, Marin has seen his name mentioned as a possible transfer target for Liverpool, and the German international could reportedly be purchased for around £12 million.

Granit Xhaka

It seems that FC Basel, in addition to having a wealth of quality players, also have those with the best names.

After Xherdan Shaqiri emerged as a major prospect and subsequently moved to Bayern Munich, Granit Xhaka is apparently being scouted by Liverpool, with a view to a possible future move.

Xhaka is a Swiss international at the tender age of 19 and has been tipped as a future national team captain. He can add the sort of creativity and youthful exuberance that has been missing at times from Liverpool's midfield this season.

A player like Xhaka can add the sort of unpredictability that can change a team's fortunes in an instant.

Eden Hazard

This is certainly the most fantastic rumor on this list, but I have saved it for last just so you can dream a little about the prospect of Eden Hazard moving to the red half of Merseyside.

The player has said that he will most likely move to England next season, but it seems that Liverpool will face a tough task signing one of the most, if not the most highly sought-after young player in the world.

Though the club has been linked with the Belgian youngster, Lille President Michel Seydoux has stated that it will take a fee in the range of €50 million to secure Hazard's services.

After spending so much money on Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez and with other needs to address, it would seem unlikely that John W. Henry would shell that much out on a single player.

But Liverpudlians can dream.