Liverpool have come close to the title this season and if it hadn’t been for some silly points dropped along the way could have been even closer to Man United at the top of the table. It is still possible that they can win, but it looks increasingly unlikely.

Benitez has built up a good squad and has some exceptional players in the team but what is next for Liverpool? What do they need to secure the title next year?

Going through their team they have some excellent players from front to back but their squad does lack the depth that the Man United one does for example. They have been linked with quite a few potential signings in the summer some of which would take the club forward and some which would be a step back. We of course don’t know which ones are true and which false so we can’t debate the choice of signings into much detail yet but we can comment on the speculation.

Gareth Barry has again been linked after Benitez failed to land him last summer. Barry seems keen to pull on a Liverpool shirt too, but I think this would be a poor signing for Liverpool. They already have Alonso and Mascherano in that position, both of whom I rate higher than Barry. Alonso is one of Liverpool’s key players and doesn’t get the credit he deserves.

Stewart Downing has been named as a potential target but this would not be a good signing for a club with aspirations of winning the league. The winger has not scored all year and hasn’t even particularly stuck out in a team fighting for relegation. There are better players at the club.

David Villa would be a phenomenal signing for Liverpool, and if he is willing to move to the Premiership then Liverpool would certainly be favourites to sign him. He would certainly add quality to the team and give Torres a run for his money to see who the fans love the most.

David Silva, who currently plays alongside Villa at Valencia, is another top quality player who would certainly add a bit of quality to the team. Plus with Valencia being in financial trouble both players could be available at knockdown prices.

If, and it is a big if, they sign Villa and Silva then the problem becomes who you play. Kuyt has had a fantastic season, you can’t drop Torres, Gerrard needs to slot in there, what about Riera and then there is Benayoun who has scored some very crucial goals for Liverpool recently.

I think Liverpool needs another top quality defender as cover for Skrtel and Agger plus if they can get rid of some of the fringe players who haven’t quite cut it and possibly bring in one of the quality players above then Liverpool have a fantastic chance of winning the title. They showed this year that they have the potential to last the distance but haven’t quite made it but with a couple more well placed signings could change that.

Written by Danny Watson, a professional sports writer who blogs about football news.