Liverpool’s five worst signings of all-time ranked

Check it out here as Ace Football looks back on the five worst signings ever made by Liverpool throughout their history.

Liverpool are one of the most successful and supported clubs in world football. Their track record says it all, with a British record of six Champions League titles. 19 league crowns, nine EFL Cups, and eight FA Cups have also come to Anfield down the years.

As one of the planet’s richest football clubs, the Reds can compete for the most expensive players. They’ve used their fortune to great effect recently, bringing in the likes of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Alisson Becker, and now Darwin Nunez.

Over the years, however, the Merseysiders have also become synonymous with flops and failures as these five signings have proved.

El Hadji Diouf – €15.00m

High hopes surrounded El Hadji Diouf following his €15m arrival from Lens in 2002. His performances in the World Cup impressed everyone, prompting Gerard Houllier to sign him. The Reds boss hoped it would take them one step closer to Premier League glory.

The Senegalese forward enjoyed a promising start to his Anfield career, scoring twice in a 3-0 win over Southampton in only his second league match. Three goals also came his way in five EFL Cup outings. But he didn’t score in the Premier League again until matchday 29 against Bolton.

Diouf then found himself in the spotlight after spitting on a Celtic fan during a UEFA Cup clash in Parkhead. His attitude and lack of goals made him unpopular at Liverpool. Not to mention falling out with Steven Gerrard as well.

After failing to score once in 2003/04, Diouf joined Bolton on a loan deal the following season. His improved performances led to a permanent €4.80m move in 2005. He retired 11 years later after a brief spell in Malaysia.

Torben Piechnik – €0.8m

Perhaps the worst signing of Graeme Souness’ two-and-a-half-year stint as manager was Torben Piechnik.

The center-back arrived off the back of helping Denmark win the European championship in 1992. High expectations, therefore, greeted him upon his arrival. His debut at Aston Villa was anything but assuring, with Dean Saunders making light work of him in a 4-2 win for the hosts.

Things didn’t improve in the following 15 games, resulting in his demise at Anfield. Souness omitted him from the squad altogether, using him for only domestic cup fixtures.

The Dane made just one appearance in 1993/94 in a dreadful 3-0 defeat to Newcastle. After an Andy Cole hat-trick inside half an hour, Souness withdrew him at half-time. He never played for Liverpool again.

Alberto Aquilani – €20m

Rafael Benitez signed Alberto Aquilani in the summer of 2009 from AS Roma as a replacement for the Real Madrid-bound Xabi Alonso. It wasn’t his first choice, though. The then-Liverpool coach originally planned to sign Gareth Barry, who opted for Manchester City instead.

Unfortunately, Aquilani’s time as a Red was one to forget. An ankle injury caused him to miss Liverpool’s opening 11 league games of the 2009/10 campaign before making an eight-minute cameo against Birmingham. He only made the starting line-up 13 times in all competitions.

Aquilani returned to Italy in 2010, spending the next two seasons on loan at Juventus and AC Milan. Fiorentina then signed him in 2012 for €2m, which was practically nothing compared to what Liverpool paid for him. It was a colossal waste. He currently coaches the Fiorentina Under-19 squad.

Andy Carroll – €41m

Andy Carroll was one of the biggest young English talents in 2011 following a prolific two seasons at Newcastle United. Not only was he scoring goals, but providing assists as well. Therefore, Liverpool signed him for €41m (£35m) in January 2011. It made him the most expensive British player in history at the time.

It turned out later on, though, that Carroll didn’t want to leave Newcastle. He instead claimed the club board forced him out, likely because of the cash Liverpool offered.  The striker even arrived at Anfield praying his medical would be a failure.

2011/12 was Carroll’s only full campaign at the club, which was disappointing altogether. He left for West Ham in 2012 on a loan deal, which became a permanent one for €17.50m a year later. Injuries, however, ruined his time in London.

At 33 years of age, Carroll is set to go on the lookout for a new club this summer once his contract at Championship side West Brom ends.

Mario Balotelli – €20m

After losing Luis Suarez to Barcelona, Brendan Rodgers took an enormous leap in faith by signing Mario Balotelli. The €20m signing was already a controversial figure in English football following a spell at Manchester City, Therefore, plenty of eyebrows were raised on this one.

But Balotelli’s successful one-and-a-half-year stint at AC Milan convinced Rodgers to take a gamble. That form disappeared the moment he set foot in Anfield, however.

The Italian striker soon fell apart and got on the wrong side of everyone.

AC Milan re-signed Balotelli on loan after just one season at Liverpool. The former Inter star, though, couldn’t rediscover his form at the San Siro. He eventually joined Nice in 2016 and Marseille on free transfers before returning to his hometown club Brescia in 2019 and later linking up with Süper Lig club Adana Demirspor in Turkey.

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