The Reds have not been involved in Europe's premier club competition since 2009/10, when they were eliminated in the group stage.
Since then Liverpool have failed to broach the Premier League's top four, finishing seventh, sixth, seventh and seventh in their past four league campaigns.
But Rodgers, who replaced Kenny Dalglish as Liverpool manager just over a year ago, said the time was right to mount an assault on the top four.
"We can get into the Champions League with players who are hungry - players who have that hunger to succeed," Rodgers told The Anfield Wrap in Australia, where the Reds will play Melbourne Victory in a friendly on Wednesday.
"With the right profile of player, and the right level of coaching, we can achieve that. We all want stars, but the most important thing is you want players who are hungry to become stars.
"That's what we have at the club now - players who are hungry.
"If we bring them in with a certain profile I think we've shown we are able to compete - and I would expect us to make a much better fist of competing for a top-four place this year.
"I hope we can make a big push this year. Playing in Europe is what this club is all about, it is what the history of this club is built on, and that is the aim."
Rodgers said he feels his moves in the transfer market, such as clearing out the misfiring Andy Carroll, Joe Cole and Charlie Adam to be replaced by the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Daniel Sturridge and Joe Allen, have the club well placed on the pitch as well as off.
"I've seen a change, we've tried to grow the club in the last year, and make sure we've got a real base to build on," Rodgers said.
"There was a much bigger job last year in terms of trying to get the balance within the squad right. We had players who needed to move on really.
"We had big wage earners within the football club who weren't contributing, and we knew we had to move them on and find the right profile of player - and that's what we have now."
