Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers admits the Reds do not have a “wheelbarrow load” of money to spend in the transfer window but is closing in on his first signing.
However, he has stressed any new arrival will have to have the right character as well as technical ability.
Rodgers, who opted out of the chase for new Spurs midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson as he refused to pay over the odds for the player, said an “exciting” deal could be completed in the next few days.
“We don’t have a wheelbarrow load of money; there is not the money flying about people think there is,” said the Northern Irishman.
“There certainly won’t be as many [signings] as is being labelled out there.
“There have been a whole raft of players being linked and only a few are real targets for us.
“The reality is we have only made three or four enquiries about players and hopefully can close out one deal this week which will be a real exciting one for the club, one the supporters will absolutely love.
“We want to work with the great players we have here and make three or four tweaks in relation to the squad that can help the group.
“We want to be competitive in every game and challenging at the top end.”
Rodgers stamped his authority on the job early on when he refused to meet the wage demands of Sigurdsson.
A deal had been agreed with former club Swansea, where Rodgers had worked with the player for the second half of last season, but when Anfield became an option for the Iceland midfielder the financial side changed.
The Reds boss said he was only willing to may the market value and as a result the 22-year-old moved to Tottenham.
That has put down a marker for any new potential signings as Rodgers knows exactly what type of player he wants.
“This is a club which is a way of life, it is not just a club where you turn up for two hours’ training and then go away,” the 39-year-old said at a press conference to publicise the club’s pre-season tour to the United States for matches against FC Toronto, Roma and – coincidentally – Sigurdsson’s new club, Tottenham.
“You have to be prepared to come into the culture and philosophy of the club and if you don’t, then it’s not a problem, but this is not the right fit for you.
“I want players that are hungry to succeed and want to match the ambitions of how we want to move forward and the reality of that is there are very few players who can match that.
“I don’t just want to identify a player and then let them come in at whatever cost.
“One of the things which distorts the reality of football is money.
“I don’t see the sense of a player coming in if we have to pay over the odds for him.
“There are many good players out there but not many who have the courage and bravery to play the way we want to.”
Rodgers is still assessing the strength of his squad, made more difficult as some players involved in the European Championships have yet to return, before deciding who stays and who goes.
Striker Andy Carroll has been linked with AC Milan but the Liverpool manager insists there has been no approach.
“He is a very good young player and he will be linked with clubs with them because he is such a good player,” said Rodgers.
“It is something I have spoken to him about [while he is still] on his holidays so he knows exactly where he stands.
“I haven’t had anything from AC Milan at all.”
Midfielder Alberto Aquilani, who was on loan at Milan last season having had a temporary spell at Juventus the campaign before, has returned to Merseyside with his future also unclear.
“I’ve had a good chat with Alberto the other day,” said Rodgers.
“It hasn’t really worked out for him as of yet but he has the qualities in terms of technical and tactical ability to play.
“But what’s going to be important for every player is that they have the steel and mindset to play.
“It will be very important and that’s something I’ll find out over the course of pre-season about all the players.”
