Liverpool FC: Who to Sell, Who to Buy, and Where to Go Next Season

Liverpool FC saw a rougher year than expected due to all the hype surrounding their key signings stemming from last January.

The purchasing of Andy Carroll for just over $56 million, combined with the Jordan Henderson, Charlie Adam and Stewart Downing signings brought in some admittedly deserved hype. The four names mentioned made the Liverpool FC bank shell out a few checks for a grand total of just over $156 million dollars. That's a lot of cash spent to be sitting in just 7th place.

Admittedly, this was a molding year for Liverpool. A year where Kenny Dalglish experimented with tactics, where new signees spent time on the bench every now and then, and a year full of injuries yet again. But, with the season almost over and Liverpool in their second cup final of the year, it's time to look ahead.

The question is: where to? Let's start with the players who simply need to go.

Three players Liverpool should sell:

1) Dirk Kuyt—The Dutch workhorse has had some good times at LFC, including this year when his winner at Old Trafford sent Liverpool on in the FA Cup. However, it's time for him to head out. Kenny Dalglish doesn't prefer Dirk Kuyt to the likes of Stewart Downing or Jordan Henderson, who for some reason plays on that right hand side instead of the center.

Kuyt has done his time and put in some hard work that resulted in great plays/goals. However, a tempting $1.6 million dollar offer from Feyenoord could send him back home to the Dutch Eredivisie.

2) Maxi Rodriguez—Another player who seems to score when put on the team. Maxi has shown he has what it takes to come on and score but again, KD doesn't prefer him in the side all that often.

Maxi hasn't said he's looking for an option out, but the Daily Mirror reported last year that Rodriguez is looking for a way out to Argentina, and the same reports are surfacing again this year.

3) Charlie Adam—What seemed a good buy at the time seems a distant mistake now. Shining at the beginning of the year with some Alonso-esque passes, Adam is spending the rest of the year on the bench due to injury. But even in the in-between period of good play and injury, Adam failed to shine like KD thought he would when he made the $14 million dollar purchase in July of last summer.

No interest has emerged about where Adam could go, but if he continues to fail when in the side, there is no question he could be gone.

3 Players Liverpool should buy:

1) Gaston Ramirez—Another Uruguayan Liverpool is targeting is the young in-demand Bologna midfielder Gaston Ramirez. The number 10 has hailed comparison even to big names like Kaka, and his power and chance creation is something Liverpool desperately need.

In 28 matches for the Serie A side, Ramirez has tallied up five goals and five assists in 1948 minutes of play. Liverpool will have to act quickly though if they want him before a big Serie A club or Manchester United make their move for him.

2) Luuk De Jong—This dazzling Dutchman plays Center Forward for FC Twente and is in high demand this coming market. De Jong has proven to be a goal machine scoring 30 goals, and racking up 18 assists in 45 matches in all competitions thus far.

De Jong was troubled by an ankle injury earlier in the year, but it appears to have all healed up. Liverpool is the only club to show major interest in the striker, but they almost certainly won't be the only come June.

3) Ibrahim Afellay—Another promising Dutch star is Barcelona midfielder Ibrahim Afellay. Afellay is currently sidelined with a knee injury and has only played part in two games for the Catalonian side thus far, but his speed and footwork are incredible and although he isn't a prime goal scorer, he's what Liverpool need with constant pace coming down the right side.  

Afellay was just signed by Barcelona last summer, but that won't stop the winger from heading to England should the price be right.

There is no question that change is needed in Liverpool as this coming year will be the third consecutive year the club won't be playing Champions League football, a problem the club haven't encountered since the years of 1998-2001. Look for some of these moves and potentially more with a new Director of Football coming in and plenty of cash from the American owners.

Contact me on Twitter: @ScottStewartLFC