Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is targeting a Champions League return for the club, citing Tottenham as an example to try and follow.

The club have not competed in Europe’s top club competition since the 2009-10 season after to failing to qualify through the Premier League for the past three seasons.

Rodgers has acknowledged the historical importance of European football and believes Wednesday’s top flight opponents, Andre Villas-Boas’ outfit, serve as a blueprint for how to regain their Champions League status in the future.

“Over the course of the summer they [Spurs] invested something in the region of £55 million [€68m) net in terms of everything they were putting into the group,” the Northern Irishman told reporters.

“But it is not just in the last window, Tottenham have been building the group steadily and have worked their way up the league to become challengers for those Champions League positions.

“We are trying to arrive in that position and we see what sometimes it takes in order to do that.

“Of course Liverpool want to be in for the top players and top talents and this is a club which will bring those players here.

“But obviously a lot of players want to be in the Champions League so if they want to come in here that is an area we want to get into in the coming years.

“We know we are not too far away and are very close to arriving in that zone that we want to be in.”

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has confirmed that the club has “a bit of money to spend” in the January transfer window and he is hoping to bring in “one or two” players on loan.

The Reds have been linked with moves for host of players including striking duo Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Daniel Sturridge, with Luis Suarez the club’s only established fully fit forward.

However, Rodgers has conceded that are not many names  under consideration, he is hoping to boost his “reinforce” his squad.

Rodgers told talkSPORT: “The squad has been ultra-thin right the way through. There will be some money available.

“There have been a million names linked to the club and the brutal honesty of it is that ninety nine per cent of those we haven’t been thinking about.

“But there will be a bit of money to spend and hopefully we can get one or two loans in, if that’s possible, to reinforce the group.”

The 39-year-old also believes his side are heading in the right direction after extending their unbeaten Premier League run to eight games with the 0-0 draw against Swansea City on Sunday.

He added: “I think we are on the up and improving all the time.

“It was obviously very difficult at the beginning with tough games and trying to implement new ideas. It’s difficult when you are playing against some of the big sides and established sides.

“The application of the players has been outstanding. They have been superb in terms of wanting to learn, wanting to improve and wanting to work.”

Chelsea boss Rafael Benitez believes Fernando Torres peaked during the striker’s spell at Liverpool, but is hoping the Spaniard can re-discover the form which prompted the Blues to pay £50 million for his services.

Torres endured another frustrating game during his side’s goalless draw against Manchester City on Sunday – failing to register a single shot on target – and the 28-year-old has been heavily criticised for his displays since joining the club for a British record fee back in January 2011.

But while Benitez has admitted the Spain international’s best performances came for his former side, the Stamford Bridge boss is hoping his current team-mates can help him to recapture his previous form, although he is unsure how long it could take.

“It [Torres’ form] is not the same now as when he was at his maximum but I think he can come back,” Benitez told reporters.

“How close? I don’t know. It depends on the rest of the team. I think he can improve but the team has to help him.

“The first thing is to give him some confidence; give him instructions of what he can do in a different way to improve himself and the rest of the team a little bit physically.”

Torres has only managed to net 19 times in 88 appearances for the current European Champions since his big-money arrival, and Chelsea will be looking to end a five-match winless run in the Premier League when they host local rivals Fulham on Wednesday.