Over the past few years, Liverpool have made significant additions such as Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Virgil van Dijk, and Alisson Becker who have gone on to become cornerstones of Klopp’s XI. The Reds have hardly gone wrong in the transfer market since Jurgen Klopp established Liverpool as one of the powerhouses in European football. Here are the top ten worst ever Liverpool signings.
1. Loris Karius
Loris Karius was voted the second-best goalkeeper in the Bundesliga after Manuel Neuer in the 2015/16 season which led to his transfer to Liverpool. But two costly errors from the German goalkeeper in Liverpool’s humiliating 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid. After that, Karius never played for Liverpool and was subsequently released in the summer of 2022. This was one of the worst Liverpool transfers ever.
2. Mario Balotelli
The Reds made a £16m panic buy for the former Man City forward back in 2014 who had almost lost his ‘super’ status. He was brought in to replace Luis Suarez who joined Barcelona and then-manager Brendan Rodgers was ridiculed by the media for making a move for the Italian. The move as expected turned out pretty bad and among the worst Liverpool signings. Balotelli managed only four goals in 28 appearances.
3. Robbie Keane
The Irishman made his dream move to Liverpool from Tottenham Hotspur and big things were expected after his 23-goal season in 2007/08. Keane had been a Liverpool fan all his life but he did little to justify the £20 million price tag he was sadly sold back to Spurs for an £8m loss in just six months.
4. Andy Carroll
The Reds splurged £35m for the Newcastle United striker on the deadline day and it was one of the biggest blunders in the Premier League’s history. Carroll received immense criticism for his unconventional style of play and serious injuries held him back from making his mark at Anfield. Carroll was ultimately shipped off to West Ham but he bagged only six Premier League goals in three years at Anfield.
5. Naby Keita
One of the most recent Liverpool signings, Naby Keita made his move to Liverpool from RB Leipzig and looks like the ideal candidate for Klopp’s dynamic first team. But sadly his Liverpool career never picked up any momentum, as he struggled with injuries and missed far too many games. He was also on the list of Liverpool’s worst signings. Earlier in April, Naby Keita was suspended by his current employers Werder Bremen for the remainder of the season.
6. Arthur Melo
The Brazilian midfielder enjoyed successive spells at Barcelona and Juventus and looked good on paper when he arrived at Liverpool. But in recent history, Arthur’s signing was one of the disappointing decisions made by the Reds. He never got to play a single minute of Premier League football and chipped in less than 20 minutes in Champions League football. Yes, it wasn’t the most damaging move for the club financially but his spell with the club was nothing short of a disaster.
7. El Hadji Diouf
El Hadji Diouf was a standout performer for Senegal in the 2002 World Cup which led to the Reds signing him for £10 million from Lens. But the striker will be remembered for a spitting incident in a UEFA Cup match against Celtic and the first Liverpool No.9 to fail to score in one entire season.
8. Iago Aspas
The Celta legend was unable to make his mark in the Premier League as he made 14 Premier League appearances without finding the back of the net. Liverpool already had Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge firing on all cylinders, leaving little room for the Spaniard to succeed. The language barrier was believed to be an issue who was loaned to Sevilla the following season.
9. Christian Benteke
The Belgian was one of the clinical strikers in the Premier League which prompted Liverpool to splash out £32.5m on the Belgium international. But he never suited Liverpool’s style of play and was booted upon the arrival of Jurgen Klopp.
10. Alberto Aquilani
The Italian midfielder arrived at Liverpool on the same day Xabi Alonso was allowed to join Real Madrid. Alberto had big shoes to fill when he arrived at Anfield but injuries derailed his position at the club. After two disappointing loan spells at Juventus and Milan, his torrid time at Liverpool came to an end when he joined Fiorentina on a permanent deal.