Andy Carroll
The sale of Andy Carroll has provided some much needed funds for Liverpool. Reuters

With the outright sale of young English striker Andy Carroll to West Ham United complete, Liverpool now have a bevy of funds to play with during this summer’s transfer session.

Liverpool completed the deal for the 24-year-old’s permanent stay at West Ham on Wednesday for a reported £15.5 million with the remaining £2 million from add-ons. According to BBC News, Liverpool originally paid £35 million for Carroll, and paid for some of the record fee when they loaned him out to the Hammers.

Now flush with funds, Liverpool officials can now improve a club that has been stuck in the middle of the Premier League table for the last four campaigns. Several reports indicate the Reds will spread the funds around the pitch.

Brendan Rodgers’s side has already targeted Sevilla attacking midfielder Luis Alberto, according to The Independent. The fee could be as high as £6 million, however the publication also reported that Sevilla sporting director Ramon Verdejo said the deal wasn’t “substantial enough.”

Luis Alberto was on loan to Barcelona this past season, notching 11 goals in 38 appearances for their B-team. The Spanish player’s market value is around £4.4 million, making it rather curious that Sevilla are holding out for more.

That same report from the Independent also discussed Liverpool’s complicated efforts to bring on midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan from Ukrainian Premier League club Shakhtar Donetsk.

Liverpool have a huge hurdle to overcome other than the 24-year-old Armenian’s £22 million buyout clause. Armenia is currently ranked 89th in the world, and it has been difficult for a player to obtain a work permit if he happens to be from a country ranked outside of the top 70.

The Reds will also have to compete with Juventus and Monaco for a player that totaled 38 goals in the last three years with Shakhtar. Mkhitaryan has also earned 39 caps and 11 goals for his country.

Porto winger Christian Atsu is also in the mix for a stay at Anfield. Liverpool are trying to take advantage of the Ghanaian’s declaration that he will not sign another contract with Porto once his deal is over after next season, as reported by The Guardian. The Reds could land the sprightly 21-year-old for as little as £3 million.

Liverpool are also looking to add some youth in the net, with Sunderland keeper Simon Mignolet their biggest desire. According to Daily Mail, Sunderland are already working on a replacement, assuming an £8 million deal has been all but finalized.

Mignolet, 25, ranked among the top save leaders in the Premier League last year, and could serve as the replacement for Pepe Reina, who might be headed back to La Liga.