Former Liverpool star Did Hamann has highlighted what he thinks are the issues at his old club at the moment.
The Reds are currently in a battle to achieve a top-four finish in the Premier League. However, their hopes were dealt a blow at the weekend with a 3-0 loss to Brighton.
Defeat at the Amex Stadium leaves Liverpool in ninth place in the league table. Jurgen Klopp’s side are 10 points adrift of fourth-placed Manchester United.
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Hamann, who won eight major trophies during his time at Liverpool including a Champions League, believes that his former side need to spend more than €200m (£177m) in order to challenge for the top honours. But the German has doubts that the Reds would be able to do that.
“Liverpool is just one team of many at the moment,” Hamann told Sky Germany. “What has distinguished them for years, this crushing game, resilience, this intensity, this playful quality and their game management, is completely missing at the moment.
“They always knew what they had to do at all times, for example to pull back a little at the right time in order to survive the opponents' pressure phase. They are currently unable to do this.
“The Brighton game was a low point, they were runners-up in all aspects over 90 minutes. They cannot compensate for the absences and have four or five players who are probably facing the end of their Liverpool careers.
“Milner is 37, Keita and Oxlade-Chamberlain's contracts are expiring and they didn't show enough in Liverpool. Fabinho hasn't played well in the last six months, I'm not a great friend of Thiago and Henderson is always a topic as well.
“They would have to get four or five new players in midfield alone and also strengthen their defence. They have to spend at least around £200m for that, but I don't think they have that money.”
Hamann also gave his views on Klopp’s future as Liverpool manager. The German signed a contract extension last April that runs until 2026.
The former Reds midfielder thinks that, despite Klopp having a “hero status” at the club, there could be questions about his future at Anfield.
“Discussions about the manager may start, although I don't think Liverpool will sack him,” said Hamann. “Klopp has played at the limit with Liverpool in terms of financial conditions. That worked for six years, but players that you could get for £25m a few years ago are now £50m or £60m.
“But if you don't spend £200-300m on new players in one summer, it will be incredibly difficult if not impossible to fight against rivals Manchester City, Newcastle or Arsenal.
“Klopp has been at Liverpool for seven years now and his job is incredibly intense and stressful. Does he have the energy again to build a new side under the financial constraints the club faces compared to other top clubs? I don't know how he feels about it if his team didn't have anywhere near a chance of becoming champions.
“Klopp has earned hero status at Liverpool. The question is whether he wants to risk it or give it up.”
Klopp insisted in the embargoed section of his press conference to preview the Reds' FA Cup replay at Wolves on Tuesday night that he would not be going anywhere - although he seemed to hint at changes to his playing squad.
He said: "Either I go, the manager position changes or a lot of other things change. As far as I know, from what I hear, if nobody tells me, I will not go. So that means maybe there's a point where we have to change other stuff. And we will see that.
"But again, it's something for the future, like the future in the summer, but not now. So we cannot even think about it right now. I have some space and time to think about it but we have to play better football now. We cannot play and say: 'These are problems but next season we don't have them anymore'."
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