The Reds manager feels that his side were unable to give the FA Cup and Capital One Cup their full attention last season but aims to have “a proper go” after signing more players

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is looking forward to bulking out the number of players in his squad in order to have “a proper go” at the FA Cup and Capital One Cup.

The Reds are close to signing Celta Vigo forward Iago Aspas, in addition to securing Kolo Toure as a free agent, as they begin a busy summer, the boss’s goal to expand on the “paper-thin” playing staff of 2012-13.

The Northern Irishman pointed to the impact of January signings Philippe Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge as proof of the revitalising effect of additional players.

Rodgers told reporters: “This time, we’ll certainly give the Capital One Cup and the FA Cup a proper go – we have a much better squad to do that.

“We had a paper-thin squad last year, we had kids all the way through. Obviously those players who have come in [in January] have added quality and it’s no coincidence that we have kicked on when we’ve had quality in the group.

“We need to improve the group and the depth but that’s what gives me great hope for the summer. If we can add that, we can make a real start and then we’re ready to challenge.

“You can flip it about but it’s the depth, really. We just need to build up the depth of the squad. I want to have people who might be disappointed because they’re not even on the bench. At the minute we probably don’t have that so it’s competition we want to get.

“I don’t want a massive group; we want a tight group with a real core of 17 or 18 players who feel they should always be playing and then supported by a few of our top young talents.”