Liverpool have had a quiet January transfer window, with this likely to be manager Jurgen Klopp’s last chance to seal a deal before he steps down as manager at the end of the season.
The January transfer window has produced decidedly mixed results for Liverpool over the past 20 years.
Over the past few seasons, the Reds have typically limited their signings to one or two players in an effort to beat their rivals and land top targets. That happened to both Luis Dias and Codi Gakpo, with manager Jurgen Klopp bringing the duo six months earlier than originally planned.
However, this wasn’t always the case, and up until Klopp took over as manager in 2015, Liverpool’s strategy was not just about hits but also about mistakes. That being said, some of the greatest players of our time have been signed over the winter.
The real thing to watch is Klopp’s transfer moves, but the German is unlikely to bring in any more new players before he leaves in the summer. Here, Mirror Football takes a look at some of his January windows from Liverpool’s past.
2007: Alvaro Arbeloa and Javier Mascherano
January 2007 brought two stars to Anfield in the form of Alvaro Arbeloa and Javier Mascherano. His performances at Deportivo La Coruña caught the eye of Rafael Benítez, who brought him in for a whopping £2.6 million.
The full-back quickly proved to be a valuable player, starring in the 2007 Champions League final. However, his stay was relatively short and he moved to Real Madrid in 2009, winning La Liga, two Copa del Rey and a World Cup with Spain.
Javier Mascherano, signed for £20m from West Ham, also arrived in that slot. His first loan had to be approved by both FIFA and the Premier League, and special permission had to be granted to play for the Reds.
However, it was accepted by February, and the Argentine quickly developed a reputation as the top flight’s best midfield enforcer. Sold to Barcelona in 2010, Mascherano went on to win every accolade with the La Liga giants.
2011: Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll
Nothing better exemplifies Liverpool’s previously confused thinking in the transfer market than 2011. Luis Suarez was signed for £23m on the same day the Reds signed Andy Carroll from Newcastle for £35m.
Suarez became a modern-day legend for the Reds, scoring 82 goals in 133 appearances during the 2013/14 season, almost beating Brendan Rodgers’ side to the title. One of Liverpool’s best ever strikers, he moved to Barcelona in 2014 for £74 million.
He continues to maintain his status as one of the best strikers in the world and helped Atletico Madrid win the La Liga title in 2021. While Suarez was a huge success, Carroll was an abject disaster.
Despite spending more than Suarez, Carroll failed to make an impression on his way to becoming the most expensive English footballer of all time. He did not make his debut until that March and that was the beginning of his disappointment at Anfield.
The highlight for the striker was scoring the winning goal late on against Everton in the 2012 FA Cup Final. However, the move ultimately failed and Carroll moved to West Ham in 2012.
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2021: Ben Davies and Ozan Kabak
Ten years after the arrival of Suarez and Carroll, Liverpool produced one of the most complex deadline days in history. The injury crisis has left Klopp in need of reinforcements at centre-back.
With time running out, he brought in Preston star Ben Davies and Schalke’s Ozan Kabak. Davies was signed for £2 million, but never made a single appearance for the Reds and was loaned to Sheffield United.
Davies’ successor was Kabak, who joined on loan from Schalke, who were struggling in the Bundesliga. However, a disastrous debut against Leicester set the tone for his short spell at Anfield, and he was sent back to Germany at the end of that season.
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