Due to our exciting start to the summer transfer window in which we’re seemingly more active than any other Premier League club, the Daily Mail have named their ten greatest ever Liverpool signings of the era.
They haven’t ranked their list – but we’ve done it for them. Questionably, Daniel Agger misses out, as does Luis Garcia and John Arne Riise.
SEE MORE:
Dates of five Liverpool games changed, including Stoke opener and Merseyside derby
Explaining Liverpool’s six-man transfer committee – WHO DOES WHAT – with Rodgers, Fallows & more
10) Martin Skrtel
The Mail have selected the Slovakian in their top 10, which is reward for his years of loyal service. Personally, we think Lucas deserves this spot a little more, as some fans still don’t even think Skrtel should be an automatic starter although he seems set for a new contract (via Echo).
9) Javier Mascherano
Secured from West Ham in a £17m deal, Mascherano gave his everything for Liverpool, tackling, intercepting, harrying and providing a wonderful platform from which his team-mates could perform. He’s now an integral part of Barcelona’s all conquering XI, which proves just how wonderful a player he really is. In truth, we’ve never really replaced him.
8) Dietmar Hamann
Ahead of our Argentine midfield battler is our slightly less feisty but more measured German one. Hamann signed from Newcastle, and despite many years of admirable Premier League service, is best known for his performance in our Champions League final victory . Coming on at half-time versus AC Milan, Hamann changed the game and provided the midfield stability which allowed a bombarding Steven Gerrard to drag us back into contention.
7) Coutinho
By the end of Coutinho’s stint as a Red, we think he might be further up this list… Barbarically talented and with genius feet, when on-song our Brazilian maestro has few peers in terms of Premier League playmakers. Last term he started to take games by the scruff of the neck as well. Let’s hope his development continues at its current rate, because his potential literally has no ceiling.
6) Gary McAllister
A signing that left many previously uninspired Liverpool fans eating their words come the end of the 2000/01 season. Ageing and out of contract, McAllister was offered a short-term deal by Gerard Houllier, and he took it with both hands. The Scot was the Man of the Match in the legendary UEFA Cup final victory, and bagged a wonderful Merseyside derby winner for 45-yards to boot.
5) Pepe Reina
Easily our finest top flight goalkeeper in recent years. It’s sad really that Reina declined and he isn’t still between our Premier League sticks. The likeable Spaniard earned three Golden Gloves, and during his peak under Benitez, he was comfortably in the top three keepers on the planet. A wonderful shot-stopper with distribution to match, Reina was so cool with the ball at his feet he could have probably played as a holding midfielder!
4) Xabi Alonso
The most graceful Premier League midfielder to grace Anfield. The mercurial Spaniard oozed class, ticked over our possession and controlled games as our deep-lying playmaker. Alongside the battling Javier Mascherano and the barnstorming Steven Gerrard – Alonso formed part of the ‘best midfield in the world’ under Rafa Benitez.
3) Fernando Torres
Torres should always be considered a Liverpool hero, despite the manner in which he departed to Chelsea. Still, we got £50m for his services, and his decline since proved that piece of business was almost as good as signing him in the first place. At his peak – probably the world’s best centre-forward. Pace, power and finishing in a nutshell.
2) Sami Hyypia
Jamie Carragher is the only person other than the giant Finn who could stake a claim as our greatest ever Premier League centre-back. He cost a measly £2.6m from the Dutch leagues, but was a cornerstone of our defence for ten years, scoring crucial goals and leading our back four.
1) Luis Suarez
Now tearing up trees with Barcelona, it’s with a heavy heart that we saw the Uruguayan genius leave Anfield last summer. But we couldn’t stand in the way of his progression, and from a personal point of view, his debut campaign treble proved he made the right choice. For us in 2013/14, Suarez was literally head and shoulders above every other player in the country, and his form led us to within an inch of a first Premier League trophy. How we miss him.
