The club have recruited Rickie Lambert and Divock Origi – who returned to Lille on loan – since the sale of Luis Suarez but the Reds boss is looking for another forward

Brendan Rodgers admits that Liverpool “need another striker” before the end of the transfer window.

The Reds lost star forward Luis Suarez – who scored 31 goals in 33 Premier League games – to Barcelona in July.

Liverpool have invested heavily already this summer with eight new signings, including strikers Rickie Lambert and Divock Origi, with the latter being loaned back to Lille.

But despite seeing Daniel Sturridge net the winner against Southampton on Sunday, Rodgers is keen to turn more chances into goals in order to drive another title challenge.

“I think for Daniel it was just a continuation. We can create chances and score goals,” he told reporters.

“Sometimes he will have quiet games but he always looks like he will score a goal. I think he’s got 36 in 50 games – that’s the best in Liverpool’s history.

“We loved the challenge last season of being in the hunt and we want to recreate that. We’ve been on a great run of form for 18 months now.

“I think we need another striker and we will search for that.”

The Northern Irishman says the Barcelona striker wanted to show his continued support of the Reds – despite his summer switch to Camp Nou

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has revealed that Luis Suarez texted him ahead of the Reds’ clash with Southampton and says that forward’s heart is still at Anfield.

The Uruguay international left for Barcelona in the summer after a traumatic World Cup that saw him banned from football for four months for biting Giorgio Chiellini during his country’s 2-1 defeat to Italy.

Suarez’s ban has subsequently been upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), although he is now able to train with his new club.

However, despite all of the drama of the past few months, Rodgers says that Suarez has not forgotten his former colleagues.

“He sent me a lovely text this morning wishing us all the best and telling his old team-mates to start strongly,” the Northern Irishman told reporters. “He’s a friend of Liverpool now.

“I sent one back. He’s a good boy but he’s gone. His heart is with Liverpool. He’ll always be Liverpool and it was a lovely touch.”

Liverpool beat Southampton 2-1 in their opening Premier League game, with Raheem Sterling and Daniel Sturridge on target for the Reds, and while Rodgers was not too impressed with his side’s performance, he was thrilled with the three points.

“I think pre-season was broken with players coming back late. We had to grind out a result,” he added.

“Today was a brilliant win for us. It was a tough game and we had to grind it out so I’m really happy with the determination and character. As the season rolls on we will play better.

“You know you want to make a good start and get going. We weren’t as fluent, it was all about the win and the victory.

“Southampton are a good side with some very good players. We had to show guts and determination. We put Rickie [Lambert] on and changed the way we played. I think that unsettled them a bit.”

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