Liverpool secured late January deals as World Cup winner and emergencies arrived
Liverpool have completed some inspired recruitment on previous deadline days in the January transfer window - but they have also dropped some clangers they would rather forget.
With the obvious exception of their pursuit of Luis Diaz, the Reds have been reluctant to splash the cash midway through the season, especially at the last minute. When they have, it has always involved multiple faces being hurried through the door somewhat frantically.
The deadline day of January 2011 is memorable for both the right and the wrong reasons, while the one four years prior was drastically more successful.
And in 2021, Liverpool were infamously forced to act at the eleventh hour after suffering another crucial injury blow during a fixture with Tottenham on 28 January.
Ahead of this season's deadline day on Tuesday, here are the eight signings Liverpool have made on previous January deadline days.
Chelsea complete record-breaking Enzo Fernandez transfer after deadline day rush
2007: Alvaro Arbeloa
Alvaro Arbeloa was a reliable option in either full-back berth (Getty Images)Signed from: Deportivo La Coruna
Fee: £2.6million
Having made little impression at Real Madrid, Arbeloa caught Liverpool's eye during a brief stint with Deportivo and Rafael Benitez was convinced to sign his fellow Spaniard at a bargain price.
The full-back, able to feature on either side, proved to be a fine addition to the Liverpool defence and he came off the bench in the 2007 Champions League final, which Benitez's side lost to AC Milan.
In all, Arbeloa would make 98 appearances for the Reds before returning to Los Blancos in a £5million transfer in 2009, going on to enjoy a trophy-laden career at the Santiago Bernabeu and with Spanish national team, with whom he won the World Cup in 2010 and the European Championships in 2008 and 2012.
2007: Francisco Duran
Francisco Duran never made a senior appearance for Liverpool (Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Eduardo Macia was keen on the youngster but injuries hampered him (Icon Sport via Getty Images)Signed from: Malaga
Fee: £90,000
The January deadline day of 2007 also saw another youngster recruited from Spain.
The precise details of the deal which brought Duran to Anfield are unknown but transfermarkt.com claim Liverpool paid just £90,000 for the midfielder.
Eduardo Macia, then the Reds' chief scout, noticed Duran as he made his only senior Malaga appearance during a Copa del Rey fixture against Zaragoza.
Everton chiefs face transfer backlash from fans after deadline day disaster
He was likened to Xabi Alonso and capped at Under-17 level for Spain, but Duran's time with Liverpool was ruined by a number of long-term injuries including an anterior cruciate ligament issue sustained in December 2007.
He left the club in 2010 without a senior appearance to his name and announced his retirement three years later aged just 26.
2007: Javier Mascherano
Javier Mascherano formed a key part of a formidable Liverpool midfield (Getty Images)Signed from: West Ham
Fee: £20million
As West Ham became embroiled in a controversial transfer row relating to their signings of Mascherano and Carlos Tevez, Liverpool swooped during the winter window to sign the highly-regarded midfield enforcer.
The Irons, in dire form at the time, were found to have broken third-party ownership rules as super-agent Kia Joorabchian's company, Media Sports Investment, held some of the rights to the duo.
Mascherano had hardly featured for the club at that point and there was speculation this was due to financial clauses relating to his minutes.
His initial loan to Liverpool followed by a big-money transfer was far from simple, either, as FIFA and the Premier League had to ratify the transfer.
Mascherano had already played for Brazilian club Corinthians as well as West Ham that season, so special permission was granted so he could represent a third club and the deal be completed.
The Premier League ultimately ratified the transfer in February and the Argentine excelled in Liverpool's midfield for many years before departing for Barcelona in 2010.
Then-Blaugrana boss Pep Guardiola would later convert Mascherano into a centre-back and he would go on to win every available honour multiple times during a glittering seven-and-a-half years at Camp Nou.
2011: Luis Suarez
Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez joined Sir Kenny Dalglish's side on the same day (Getty Images)Signed from: Ajax
Fee: £23million
Indisputably the greatest January deadline day transfer in Liverpool's history and one of the best of the Premier League era, Sir Kenny Dalglish ushered Luis Suarez through the Anfield entrance in 2011.
The mercurial Uruguayan spent a truly dazzling three-and-a-half years with Liverpool, scoring 82 goals in 133 appearances and almost firing Brendan Rodgers' side to the title in the 2013/14 season.
Many maintain he is the most-gifted player to represent the Reds in the Premier League, even though there was no shortage of controversy during his time with the club.
Suarez left Liverpool for Barcelona in a £75million transfer in 2014, helping the Catalan giants win the treble in his first season, and he now plunders goals for La Liga champions Atletico Madrid.
Is Luis Suarez the greatest Liverpool player of the Premier League era? Have your say in the comments!
2011: Andy Carroll
The highlight of Andy Carroll's regrettable Liverpool career was his FA Cup goal against Everton (Getty Images)Signed from: Newcastle
Fee: £35million
In hindsight, it is remarkable Carroll cost 50 per cent more than Suarez while also arriving at Liverpool on 31 January 2011.
The Reds quickly reinvested the £50million they had just made by selling Fernando Torres to Chelsea, and the towering English targetman was registered just before the deadline to become the most expensive British footballer of all time.
Carroll did not make his debut until March 2011 due to a pre-existing injury sustained at Newcastle, setting the tone for a frustrating spell at Anfield plagued by spells on the sideline and poor form.
There was one highlight for the Englishman - a late winner against Everton to take his team to the 2012 FA Cup final - but his time with Liverpool is viewed by fans as an unmitigated disaster.
Carroll joined West Ham on loan for the 2012/13 season before joining the Irons permanently for just £15million, marking a huge loss for the Reds.
2011: Conor Thomas
Conor Thomas (left) now plies his trade with Cheltenham Town (Manchester City FC via Getty Images)Signed from: Coventry
Fee: Loan
One of the forgotten transfers consigned to history books, Thomas arrived at Liverpool on loan a matter of days after making his full senior debut for Coventry.
The midfielder had been capped at youth level for England and he spent time training with first team, but returned to his parent club after sustaining a hamstring injury with no senior appearances for the Reds to his name.
2021: Ben Davies
Ben Davies is yet to make an appearance for Liverpool (Liverpool FC via Getty Images)Signed from: Preston North End
Fee: £2million
At the height of 2020-21's defensive injury crisis, Liverpool finally sprung into action on deadline day by signing Ben Davies from Championship side Preston.
The centre-back appeared to be a sensible option to help plug the gaping hole left by Joel Matip, who followed Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez into the treatment room after suffering an injury against Spurs in late January.
However, Davies did not make an appearance during the run-in and after joining Sheffield United on loan he left on a permanent deal for Rangers last summer.
2021: Ozan Kabak
Ozan Kabak did not do enough to convince Liverpool to make his loan permanent (Getty Images)Signed from: Schalke
Fee: Loan
While Davies did not feature in the second half of last season, the other defender who arrived under panicked circumstances did.
Kabak joined on loan from struggling German club Schalke and made 13 appearances in the Premier League and Champions League, forming a workable partnership with Nat Phillips as Liverpool edged their way up the table, before injury ruled him out of the end of the campaign..
The centre-back was okay, but he did not do enough to convince Anfield chiefs to pay £18million to sign him permanently, and instead joined Norwich on loan before a move to Hoffenheim.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
