Fabio Borini Sunderland
Forward Fabio Borini could make his stay in Sunderland permanent this summer. Reuters

Sprucing up an already stellar and highly competitive squad for Champions League and another deep, compelling run in Premier League, means Liverpool will also have to part with some talent as well.

The Reds are expected to be one of the busier clubs during the summer transfer session, and will have to free up roster spots and pitch time for their acquisitions, most notably 32-year-old striker Rickie Lambert.

Shelling out a reported fee hovering around £4 million, Lambert gets to fulfill his lifelong dream of playing at Anfield, but that could also signal the departure of Italian forward Fabio Borini. On loan to Sunderland last term making 32 appearances and netting seven goals, the 23-year-old could make his stay permanent at Stadium of Light but the Reds are asking for £12 million, according to Daily Mail.

Borini struggled for regular time when he moved over from Serie A to Anfield in 2012, totaling 12 appearances, but his value laid more in depth at the top of boss Brendan Rodgers attack. Instead Lambert can provide insurance and better playmaking and scoring, and Borini can continue more regular pitch time with Sunderland.

The Reds will continue tapping the resources of Premier League, specifically Chelsea attacking midfielder Thorgan Hazard. The 21-year-old brother to Stamford Bridge star Eden Hazard, Thorgan is seen as a young rising star in need of more first-team appearances. Valencia and Everton are Liverpool’s main competitors for Hazard, as reported by The Express, but Chelsea remains unsure of their plans.

Hazard took home the Belgium Pro Player of the Year award on loan with Zulte Waregem last term, totaling 16 goals and an outstanding 20 assists, and his contract runs out on June 30.

Should Hazard decide to sign with Liverpool, it could facilitate a change for winger Oussama Assaidi. Hoping to raise as much as £30 million off player sales, the Reds are seeking £7 million from Stoke City for the player they purchased in 2012 for £3.5 million, according to Daily Telegraph.

Stoke were reportedly shocked by Liverpool’s opening price, but are hopeful negotiations will birth a much cheaper result. Originally from Morocco, the 25-year-old Assaidi made 19 appearances and scored four goals for Stoke last term. While he posted a solid season, a more reasonable valuation for Assaidi is in the £4 million range.

Lastly, it seems Liverpool and Rodgers are keen on adding the player that cost them Premier League. According to Daily Star earlier this week, the Reds have made overtures to Crystal Palace regarding winger Yannick Bolasie, who rallied his squad from a 3-0 deficit to draw with Liverpool in the second-to-last match of Premier League last term.

A native of Congo, Bolasie, 25, has one year left on his current contract and is rated at £2.5 million. Palace reportedly turned down a recent offer of £2 million for Bolasie, and it’s believed Serie A’s Fiorentina are also interested.