Houllier sets sights on Auxerre pair

Gerard Houllier is planning a meeting with Auxerre boss Guy Roux “at the end of the month” as he steps up his chase to sign Djibril Cisse and Jean Alain Boumsong.

Houllier knows he needs to buy proven quality this summer after Liverpool’s failure to qualify for the Champions League.

And striker Cisse and centre-back Boumsong would appear to be high on his list of targets, along with Fulham pair Steve Finnan and Steed Malbranque.

“We will have a meeting with Auxerre at the end of the month,” said Houllier, as he looked ahead to a crucial summer of strengthening at Anfield. “I will be speaking to Guy Roux.”

Cisse, 21, is a full France international while Boumsong, 23, is a France Under-21 international.

Houllier also has Blackburn’s winger Damien Duff on his shopping list but the Irishman is likely to be out of reach if Manchester United maintain their interest and Rovers want £15million to £20million.

The Anfield chief was speaking after having 48 hours to digest the shattering disappointment of Liverpool’s defeat at Chelsea, which meant the Blues captured the final Champions League spot.

Now Houllier has made it clear that the time for investing in potential for the future – like he did last summer with Bruno Cheyrou, El Hadji Diouf and Salif Diao – has gone, and that he must inject Premiership experience and European quality into his squad for next season’s campaign.

Failure to reach the promised land of the Champions League next season could put his own position in doubt and leave Liverpool hopelessly behind the Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Newcastle power base.

Houllier admits: “We have had an average season, we have underachieved. Now the time has come for us not to buy potential, we need proven talent.

“And we need to add flair and creativity, particularly in the area of link between midfield and strikers. If the club gives me money, I’d be glad to use it in this area.”

Liverpool are fortunate not to have the crippling debts of Chelsea, Newcastle and Leeds.

The Anfield club were £9million in the black at their last annual meeting and have picked up around £48million in TV revenue, Premiership, FA Cup Worthington Cup, UEFA Cup and Champions League prize money this season so Houllier has a decent if not massive budget.

He can expect to have around £20million to spend, and it is clear that he wants players who understand the requirements of the Premier League as well as top European competition.

Houllier added: “We have the nucleus of youth, the average age of our side is around 25 while at Chelsea at the weekend it was 28.

“We have a good group of young England internationals and we must add creativity to that.

“We don’t need a lot, four at the most, but a couple certainly who can add that extra creativity and link with the front players.”

And Houllier made it clear that failure to reach the Champions League next term would not be tolerated.

He said: “Our first aim is to get back into the top three.

“The players have age on their side and they have ambition and determination. We have had an average season, a funny season in some ways.

“We have underachieved. We have created big expectations for ourselves after our previous success and maybe we have suffered because of that.

“We failed to beat Chelsea on Sunday and get back into the Champions League but we really lost that position back in mid-season when we had that long run without a win. That has cost us.

“But I still feel we need a bit more time. This squad has been rebuilt in my time here, we have won six trophies and reached the Champions League twice.

“That has been excellent. But this season some players prospered and some didn’t. We must keep the nucleus and do better.”

There could be departures and Emile Heskey, Vladimir Smicer and Dietmar Hamann are candidates.

But Houllier insists he is no hurry to see players go and is more concerned with adding that extra flair and excitement that many critics believe Liverpool need.