Brendon Rodgers says he's in charge of Liverpool's transfers

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers insisted on Thursday he was in charge of the Anfield club's transfer policy.

Questions had been raised after the Merseysider's US-based owners, Fenway Sports Group (FSG), made changes to the regular English system, where a manager has total control.

They had wanted Rodgers to operate as a coach under the kind of director of football set-up common to many European clubs but instead settled for a committee arrangement.

Now the panel features Rodgers, head of recruitment Dave Fallows and chief scout Barry Hunter as well as analysis chief Michael Edwards.

But Rodgers was adamant Thursday he makes the final choice, subject to the financial backing of FSG. That was evident in pre-season when the Americans refused to sign Fulham's Clint Dempsey as they believed he was over-priced for a then 29-year-old. Dempsey subsequently joined Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

"There is absolutely no way a player will come in here if I don't want him," Rodgers told the Liverpool Echo.

"I will always be the first person it comes to. That's not being arrogant, that's how we operate here and how it works in this country.

"Abroad it works differently where you have a coach and the club will bring in the players. The coach then works with the players he's given.

"A lot has been made of it but the fact is the process that happens here is no different to what happens at other English clubs.

"We have a number of people, scouting staff and analysts, who will look for targets who fit the profile of the players that we want.

"Then I will sit down with those guys, look at those targets and make a shortlist from that. I know the club will go and do the best it can to get the players we want.

"But it's very clear that anyone we sign will be because I want him here."

Meanwhile Liverpool fans will show their appreciation to Everton for their support of the Hillsborough justice campaign at Sunday's Merseyside derby.

Fans in the Kop will hold up 12,390 cards to spell out the word 'Thanks'.

"I want to take the opportunity to thank (chairman) Bill Kenwright and Everton fans for their continued support for the families and victims of the Hillsborough disaster," Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre told liverpoolfc.com.

Everton paid their own tribute to the justice campaign at Goodison Park last year following the publication of the independent report into the 1989 disaster where 96 fans died as a result of over-crowding on a terrace during an FA Cup semi-final at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough ground.