Steven Gerrard believes the Reds have issued a major statement of intent to their Premiership rivals with the signing of Fernando Torres.
The Liverpool skipper is more excited by the club's current transfer activity than at any time since he broke into the first team in 1998.
He said: "Torres has all the attributes to become firmly established as world class. Some of the other players we're being linked with excite me too. It's great to see us looking at young, hungry players with their best years ahead of them.
"Since I've been in the first team I can't remember us making such a major statement of intent in the transfer market as this.
"In recent years it's only really been Manchester United and Chelsea buying players around the £20m mark, so it's great to see us able to compete for players of that kind of value.
"The Liverpool board has always backed the manager and we've invested heavily over the years. Roy Evans and Gerard Houllier spent a lot of money, but we've all been looking for that extra step to close the gap and attract the kind of players United and Chelsea are able to afford.
"This is the first summer in a long time we've been able to do that. I'll bet players and fans from other clubs have been looking at us and thinking: '**** me, Liverpool are making a move for some of the big boys now.'
"That's what's so exciting. When the American owners took over they talked about three stages. The first was proceeding with the new stadium, which they're doing. Then they wanted to secure the key players on long-term contracts, which they've done.
"Stage three is all about spending money on the players to make us compete for the Premiership, which has now started.
"We're looking in great shape, not only going into this season, but for the next few years."
Gerrard is in no doubt the club's record signing has all the attributes necessary to set English football alight.
"I've never played against him, but I've watched him a lot," he said. "I really like him and I'm sure he will prove a great signing for us.
"Not only is he a great player now, but potentially he has all the attributes to become firmly established as world class. He's at the right club and will be working with the right people to make that happen.
"He's a fast, strong centre-forward who likes the ball being played into his feet. They are the kind of strikers I love playing with. I've no doubt we're going to get our money's worth out of him, with him being such a young player."
Meanwhile, the 26-year-old midfielder has spoken of his disappointment at the way he and his teammates started last season – and his determination not to make the same mistakes again.
"I've heard it said before that you can't win the league in the first 10 games, but you can lose it," said Gerrard. "That's definitely been true in our case. In the last two years we've lost any chance of challenging in the first 10 games.
"You can't give teams like United and Chelsea the kind of head starts we have. This year it's essential we get off to a flyer, or at the very least stay with them far longer than we've done in the past.
"We've shown we tend to get stronger as the season progresses, but it's no use trying to come from a long way behind."
One factor the skipper hopes to exploit is a full summer's break.
"All the top teams can talk about the knock-on effect of a World Cup, but in our case it may have been more of a factor last season because United and Chelsea had more strength in depth.
"I think we could be getting to a point where our squad is comparable in all departments now. I see four or five players competing for two positions in key areas of the team, and that shows how strong we are.
"I'm not going to start making any unnecessary predictions about what's going to happen this season, and the last thing any of us need to do is build hopes up too much, but without doubt if we all perform to our level week in, week out, we've the players to push United and Chelsea all the way."
The Liverpool skipper is more excited by the club's current transfer activity than at any time since he broke into the first team in 1998.
He said: "Torres has all the attributes to become firmly established as world class. Some of the other players we're being linked with excite me too. It's great to see us looking at young, hungry players with their best years ahead of them.
"Since I've been in the first team I can't remember us making such a major statement of intent in the transfer market as this.
"In recent years it's only really been Manchester United and Chelsea buying players around the £20m mark, so it's great to see us able to compete for players of that kind of value.
"The Liverpool board has always backed the manager and we've invested heavily over the years. Roy Evans and Gerard Houllier spent a lot of money, but we've all been looking for that extra step to close the gap and attract the kind of players United and Chelsea are able to afford.
"This is the first summer in a long time we've been able to do that. I'll bet players and fans from other clubs have been looking at us and thinking: '**** me, Liverpool are making a move for some of the big boys now.'
"That's what's so exciting. When the American owners took over they talked about three stages. The first was proceeding with the new stadium, which they're doing. Then they wanted to secure the key players on long-term contracts, which they've done.
"Stage three is all about spending money on the players to make us compete for the Premiership, which has now started.
"We're looking in great shape, not only going into this season, but for the next few years."
Gerrard is in no doubt the club's record signing has all the attributes necessary to set English football alight.
"I've never played against him, but I've watched him a lot," he said. "I really like him and I'm sure he will prove a great signing for us.
"Not only is he a great player now, but potentially he has all the attributes to become firmly established as world class. He's at the right club and will be working with the right people to make that happen.
"He's a fast, strong centre-forward who likes the ball being played into his feet. They are the kind of strikers I love playing with. I've no doubt we're going to get our money's worth out of him, with him being such a young player."
Meanwhile, the 26-year-old midfielder has spoken of his disappointment at the way he and his teammates started last season – and his determination not to make the same mistakes again.
"I've heard it said before that you can't win the league in the first 10 games, but you can lose it," said Gerrard. "That's definitely been true in our case. In the last two years we've lost any chance of challenging in the first 10 games.
"You can't give teams like United and Chelsea the kind of head starts we have. This year it's essential we get off to a flyer, or at the very least stay with them far longer than we've done in the past.
"We've shown we tend to get stronger as the season progresses, but it's no use trying to come from a long way behind."
One factor the skipper hopes to exploit is a full summer's break.
"All the top teams can talk about the knock-on effect of a World Cup, but in our case it may have been more of a factor last season because United and Chelsea had more strength in depth.
"I think we could be getting to a point where our squad is comparable in all departments now. I see four or five players competing for two positions in key areas of the team, and that shows how strong we are.
"I'm not going to start making any unnecessary predictions about what's going to happen this season, and the last thing any of us need to do is build hopes up too much, but without doubt if we all perform to our level week in, week out, we've the players to push United and Chelsea all the way."
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