This statistic is horrible viewing for Reds.
Since 2009 – six former Liverpool players who were sold to large European clubs have gone on to win the Champions League.
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Fernando Torres and Raul Meireles both left to join Chelsea and won the competition in 2012, Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa signed for Real Madrid and helped secure Los Blancos La Decima in 2014 – while Luis Suarez and Javier Mascherano beat Juventus to win the European Cup on Saturday evening just gone…
For Torres, we brought in Andy Carroll (although we also signed Luis Suarez in the same transfer window…). For Alonso, Alberto Aquilani arrived, while Glen Johnson signed on Arbeloa’s cheap departure.
Mascherano has never been replaced by an adequate holding midfielder, while Mario Balotelli came in for Suarez.
These failures to adequately replace our best players has undeniably caused our recent mediocrity, last season aside.
It also shows the importance of keeping our best players, even when large fees are thrown at them.
This summer, we need to hold on to our first-teamers as the grass is rarely greener on the other side, while adding experienced stars capable of directly and immediately contributing to the starting XI.