The good times have returned for Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp. Since the German took over from Brendan Rodgers in 2015, Liverpool’s transfer business has been largely superb.
But it hasn’t always been that way. Prior to Klopp’s arrival, Liverpool’s market movements were very much hit-and-miss. Incomings were notoriously patchy whilst one or two outgoings left fans scratching their heads.
Here are eleven players who we think Liverpool could have benefitted from keeping a little while longer than they did.
GK: Brad Friedel
Friedel was never able to fully ingratiate himself at Liverpool. The American was expected to challenge for the number 1 shirt after arriving for almost £2m in late 1997.
But he couldn’t hold off competition from David James and Sander Westerveld and left for Blackburn Rovers on a free transfer three years later.
After helping Rovers into the Premier League, he became a fixture in the division over the next decade and more. Playing into his forties, Friedel only missed five Premier League games over eleven top-flight seasons. He played an incredible 310 league games in a row.
RB: Alvaro Arbeloa
Not a great deal was known about Alvaro Arbeloa when he arrived at Anfield from Deportivo La Coruna in early 2007.
But he went on to be a real steal for Liverpool, clocking up 98 appearances over two-and-a-half seasons. By the time he left for Real Madrd in 2009, he had forced his way into the Spanish national team, who he won the European Championship with in 2008.
Arbeloa was part of the Spain squad that then won the World Cup in 2010. He played over 200 times and won two Champions League titles with Real Madrid in a glittering post-Anfield career.
CB: Conor Coady
After coming through the ranks as a local boy, Conor Coady only played two games for Liverpool.
He left without for Huddersfield Town without great fanfare in 2014. Eight years later and Liverpool surely regret their decision to let Coady leave so readily.
The now 29-year-old has gone on to excel as a Premier League centre-back for Wolverhampton Wanderers. Coady has captained the side since their return to the division in 2018 and now boasts nine England caps and counting.
CB: Sebastian Coates
Sebastian Coates is remembered by all Liverpool fans for his incredible bicycle-kick goal against Queens Park Rangers ten years ago.
In truth, he never made much of an impression during his 24 appearances for The Reds. But since leaving the club he has forged an impressive career in Portugal.
Coates captained Sporting Lisbon to their first title in 19 years last season and has gone on to win over 40 caps for Uruguay.
LB: John Arne Riise
John Arne Riise’s is a much more distinguished Liverpool career than some of the others on this list. But nevertheless, the Norwegian was sold too early.
After seven years and nearly 350 appearances, he was sold in 2008 aged just 27-years-old. Although he wasn’t quite the player he had been, he was still good enough for Liverpool.
Following his sale, it could be argued that Liverpool didn’t replace Riise until Andy Robertson made the position his own.
DM: Javier Mascherano
Liverpool were powerless to keep Javier Madcherano as he left Anfield for Barcelona in 2010.
The Reds had gone downhill under first Rafa Benitez and then Roy Hodgson. The Argentine destroyer was capable of playing at a higher level than Liverpool could offer.
But it still hurts that we were only able to enjoy ‘Monster Masch’ for three-and-a-half seasons.
CM: Xabi Alonso
If Mascherano’s exit was unavoidable, then Xabi Alonso’s departure the summer before definitely was.
Benitez inexplicably tried to sell the classy Spaniard to facilitate a move for Aston Villa’s Gareth Barry. The plan backfired and an unsettled Alonso left for Real Madrid in 2009.
After five trophy-laden years with Madrid, including a World Cup, Alonso left for Pep Guardiola’s Bayern Munich in 2014. Rafa, what were you thinking?
CM: Luis Alberto
Spanish schemer Luis Alberto only played 12 games for Liverpool after joining in 2013. But since leaving for Lazio in 2016, Alberto has become one of the best creative players in Italy.
Teammate and fellow former Red Lucas Leiva recently gave his thoughts that Liverpool let the attacking midfielder go too soon. We agree.
AM: Suso
Another Spaniard who Liverpool let go too early was Suso. After signing for The Reds as a 16-year-old, Suso came through the ranks to play 21 times for the first-team.
But after failing to make an impression, he left for AC Milan aged just 20. Since then he has gone on to be a fixture in Milan’s team over six seasons before returning to Spain with Sevilla, where he won the Europa League. He has also managed to win a handful of caps for Spain.
CF: Iago Aspas
Few argued when Liverpool let Iago Aspas return to Spain after just six months at Anfield. The striker had scored just once in 15 games for The Reds.
But since returning to Celta Vigo, Aspas has been on fire. He has scored 129 times in 255 games for Celta, as well as scoring six in 18 caps for his national team.
CF: Danny Ings
Finally, here’s one that perhaps Klopp did get wrong. Danny Ings had an injury nightmare at Liverpool, managing just 25 games over three years.
But since leaving for Southampton, Ings has scored 46 goals in 112 Premier League games. If given another year or two in the Liverpool side, perhaps he could have turned into a reliable goal scorer for The Reds.
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