Liverpool legend John Aldridge says the club needs to abandon its current transfer policy.

Aldridge supports manager Brendan Rodgers remaining in charge, but says a change of direction is needed this summer.

He wrote in the Sunday World: "What happens next? For me, the first priority is not changing the manager and rather altering a transfer policy that is doomed to failure in my eyes.

"Rodgers has signed up to work in a structure that sees the club target young, promising players and try to turn them into stars. A nice idea in principle, but we need to abandon that plan for the time being - because Liverpool need to sign some strong characters this summer.

"They need real men who will toughen up a team that were brushed aside too often as they finished a massive 25 points behind Premier League champions Chelsea.

"With Gerrard gone, where are the leaders in the Liverpool side? I just don't see them. Jordan Henderson is still a young man who is growing into a role as a potential captain, but is Martin Skrtel (left) leadership material? He's too quiet for that role in my view."