There was some interesting news for Liverpool fans on Thursday around reported transfer target Jude Bellingham.
According to The Daily Mail, the 19-year-old is now ‘expected’ to join Liverpool next summer.
Whether or not that happens remains to be seen. But it got us thinking, have the two clubs involved, Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool, done any business before.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has famously never raided his former club whilst in the hot seat at Anfield. It turns out some previous Reds’ bosses haven’t been quite so reticent, though. In anticipation of Bellingham’s potential move, here are the three players to have left Dortmund for Liverpool.
Patrik Berger
Up first is the man with the iconic flowing hair, Patrik Berger. Berger was only twenty-one when Dortmund pinched him from Slavia Prague in his home country of Czech Republic.
His young age may explain why he never quite got going at Dortmund. Berger was often a substitute, and after four goals in 36 games, he was ready to leave.
Following an excellent performance at Euro ’96, Liverpool were persuaded to take a chance on the winger. 195 games, 35 goals, three trophies and countless magic moments later, Berger had established himself as a cult hero over seven years at Liverpool.
Karl-Heinz Riedle
Following hot on Berger’s heels was German striker Karl-Heinz Riedle. Fresh off the back of scoring twice in the Champions League final, Riedle moved to Liverpool in 1997, aged thirty-one.
Despite his two enormous goals for Dortmund, he had never managed to be a regular starter for them. That continued at Liverpool where he netted 15 goals in 76 games over a two-year spell.
Philipp Degen
Over a decade then passed before the two iconic clubs did business again. Oh well, at least it was worth the wait I hear you say? Wrong.
Not a lot was expected of back-up Swiss right-back Philipp Degen, but he still managed to under-hit those lowly projections at Anfield.
Signing on a free transfer in summer 2008, Degen simply couldn’t get to grips with life at Liverpool. He had managed 75 games across three years at Dortmund but made only 13 appearances in two at Liverpool, one of which included a sending-off. As forgettable transfers go, this was right up there.
And there you have it. The stench from Degen’s transfer was so bad that the two clubs haven’t done business again.
If Liverpool do manage to get the deal for Bellingham done, then you’d think he’d be well placed to make up for the failings of the likes of Riedle and Degen.
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