The manager is already making plans for the 2014-15 season and says the whole club are completely committed to the goal of becoming champions

Brendan Rodgers says Liverpool are already progressing with plans for next season and are fixated on the goal of becoming Premier League champions.

The Merseyside club pushed eventual champions Manchester City to the final day, earning a return to the Champions League for the first time since 2009 in the process.

Rodgers has stressed the need for his side to continuously evolve to prove the club’s Premier League title challenge was not a false dawn and says they are discussing targets to strengthen his squad ahead of the new term.

“As much as we’ve had a good season, we want to go one better next season if we can,” he told the club’s official website.

“Our work has started already. We had a three-hour recruitment meeting. So there is certainly no complacency; we’re hungry to succeed here.

“You can’t take your eye off the ball. This is an ever-evolving league; it gets better every season. We’re in a league where there are not just British players – this is a league that is full of world-class players.”

A number of Rodgers’ key players are set to appear in the World Cup in Brazil this month, including talisman Luis Suarez, who has undergone knee surgery in a bid to be fit for the tournament.

Spurs and Ligue 1 side Monaco are interested in the Barcelona midfielder, who could leave Camp Nou for €10 million this summer after failing to become a first team regular

By Wayne Veysey | UK Correspondent

Tottenham have joined Manchester United and Liverpool in the race to sign Barcelona midfielder Alex Song.

Spurs and big-spending Ligue 1 side Monaco have both indicated they are ready to rival the Old Trafford club and Brendan Rodgers’ side for the former Arsenal star.

Goal learned last month that United had made a shock move for the Cameroon international, while there is also strong interest in the player from Anfield boss Rodgers.

The departure of David Moyes from Old Trafford has not ended United’s pursuit, with new boss Louis van Gaal aware of the need to significantly reinforce his central midfield.

United have been dealt a significant blow in their pursuit of Toni Kroos, with the Bayern Munich midfielder ruling out a move to Old Trafford.

“The club [Bayern] was very clear and told me that a transfer in 2014 would not be possible,” Kroos told Bild. “There have been many speculations, but Manchester United was never an issue and is no issue right now.”

But United admire Song’s ability to anchor the midfield as well as fill in at centre-back, and are also targeting Barca’s Cesc Fabregas and Sporting Lisbon star Carvalho.

Liverpool and Spurs are both in the market for a proven Premier League midfielder, with the Londoners expecting a bid from Chelsea for Brazil international Paulinho. Atletico Madrid and AC Milan are also monitoring Song’s availability.

The 26-year-old appeared in 31 of Barcelona’s 59 matches in all competitions this season but struggled to cement a regular first-team spot. He is now prepared to call time on his spell at Barca even though he has three years remaining on his contract.

The Spanish giants are willing to cash in on the Cameroonian although his fee is expected to be just under €10 million, little more than half of the €18.5m they paid Arsenal for him in the summer of 2012.

Song joined Arsenal from French club Bastia as an 18-year-old and spent seven years at the Emirates Stadium, where he established himself as a key component of Arsene Wenger’s midfield before following in the footsteps of Fabregas by moving to Barcelona.

The Liverpool striker went under the knife on Thursday, but the South Americans are hopeful the 27-year-old will return in time for their clash with Costa Rica

The Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) are hopeful Luis Suarez will be ready for the World Cup after he underwent a successful knee operation on Thursday.

The Liverpool striker complained of discomfort in his knee during a training session on Wednesday, with a scan revealing he had suffered a partial lateral mensicus injury.

A statement from the Uruguay FA said: “Luis Suarez suffered severe pain in his left knee during a warm-up with the ball on Wednesday.

“A scan confirmed a partial lateral meniscus injury. In the morning he underwent an arthroscopic partial resection of the meniscus. No other elements were noted in the lesion on his knee.

“He is not ruled out of the World Cup.

“As background information, Suarez suffered a blunt trauma to his left knee in the final Premier League game of the season against Newcastle on May 11 and complained of pain after the game.”

England and Italy make up Group D, with Roy Hodgson’s men set to face Uruguay on June 19.