It has been a controversial issue, with some remaining residents claiming to have been neglected during the period of uncertainty over the plans and also not being offered the right price for their homes.

Until they have acquired all the relevant houses, no planning application to extend the Main Stand and Anfield Road can be submitted - but Ayre expects the first part of the equation to be completed in the next few months.

"We are in an interesting period in terms of our aspirations around the stadium," he said.

"Our goal is to extend Anfield, but we need certainty and that comes with the acquisition of properties.

"Real progress has been made in acquiring them. Once they have all been acquired we will go through the planning process.

"We would expect to be in a position to make that a certainty this summer.

"Once planning has been achieved, then we can start construction."

An expanded stadium of 60,000 will boost matchday revenue and allow the Reds to close some of the financial ground on their rivals.

With new Financial Fair Play rules - a requirement of which is that clubs must break even over a three-year period to be involved in European competition - kicking in next season, Ayre believes that will help them further.

"We are very supportive of FFP for a number of reasons," he told the Liverpool Echo.

"One is we believe you should only spend what you earn. We want there to be as level a playing field as possible.

"We are in a very fortunate position in that we generate some of the biggest revenues in football despite having not been as successful on the pitch as we would have liked in recent years.

"We also have a huge fan base around the world. We've sold 100,000 tickets at the MCG in Australia this summer and there has been a similar demand for tickets for the other pre-season tour matches in Jakarta and Bangkok.

"That bodes well in an FFP environment. The real challenge for UEFA is to ensure the rules are applied correctly.

"It's only going to work effectively if there are sanctions for those who don't abide by them."

Liverpool hope to finalise the signing of Celta Vigo forward Iago Aspas early next week when he is expected to fly in for a medical.

The two clubs agreed a £7.7m fee a couple of weeks ago and despite the delay in concluding the deal - held up by Celta's successful final-day Primera Division survival battle - the Reds are not concerned about the time being taken.

Third-choice goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi has left Anfield to join Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg.

The 23-year-old Hungarian, who joined Liverpool in 2008 and had loan spells at Hereford, Tranmere (twice) and Hull but never made a first-team appearance, has signed a four-year deal.

"I am pleased that as of now I will be able to play for an Austrian top club," Gulacsi told redbulls.com.

"My goal is to compete to be the club's number one and be successful with FC Red Bull Salzburg both domestically and in Europe."

Salzburg sporting director Ralf Rangnick said Gulacsi was signed after impressing during a trial in the spring.

"We have signed a goalkeeper in Peter Gulacsi that will further improve our quality," he said.

"He was here for a three-day trial where we watched him very closely and put him through his paces physically.

"We are convinced that he has great potential."