Liverpool’s Best Deadline Day Deals

In the summer or the winter, transfer deadline day is the day fans and the media look forward to arguably above all else in football, whilst for managers and clubs it’s the opposite end of the scale – they hate it.

However, what’s better than seeing Sky Sports interview Harry Redknapp at the window of his Range Rover as he is asked about various players like Kaka? Well, seeing Liverpool make a signing would be good. However, they have had a few corkers in the past arrive at the club in the final day of trade, including these five:

1. Albert Riera
Having been part of the setup at Espanyol, Riera had been attracting interest from local rivals Everton, but decided on 31st August 2008 to come to Anfield for £8m. Liverpool had ensured that a difficult transfer window, with the chasing of Gareth Barry and the ensuring arguments, came to a successful end as Riera enjoyed a very good first season, scoring spectacular goals such as the one against Aston Villa in the 5-0 win in March 2009.

However, he never truly cemented a first team place and once he claimed that Liverpool were a ‘sinking ship’ under Rafael Benitez, he was quickly sold to Olympiakos in July 2010.

2. Craig Bellamy
Arriving for his second stint at Liverpool after enjoying a year under Rafa in 2006-07, the Welshman made his return in a free transfer from Manchester City, albeit inheriting his excessive wages. Bellamy was delighted to play under his idol Kenny Dalglish and chipped in with 9 goals as he helped Liverpool’s bid for a Carling and FA Cup double, including an assist for Andy Carroll’s winner over Everton in the FA Cup semi-finals.

However, once Brendan Rodgers became manager, Bellamy in his 30s and with a high wage was part of the group of players sold to cut down wages, with Maxi Rodriguez and Dirk Kuyt being other examples of this. Bellamy joined his boyhood club Cardiff City on a free transfer.

3. Alvaro Arbeloa
A January deadline deal this, with Arbeloa joining the Reds for £2.6m from Deportivo La Coruna in January 2006 and going on to stay at the club for three and a half years, growing in stature every season, and forced his way into the Spanish team (this was during the time when Liverpool could have fielded their own Spanish team and there were many who did play for the national team, normally with just Real Madrid and Barcelona players for company).

However, once it was clear in the summer of 2009 that Glen Johnson was on his way from Portsmouth, Arbeloa was also set to leave, especially with only one year left on his contract. Unfortunately, that meant he left for just £3.5m to Real Madrid, which was peanuts compared to the value he had made for himself during his time at Anfield. At least £5m was lost, as was a very dependable defender.

4. Javier Mascherano
One of the most fascinating and controversial deals in Liverpool’s recent history. Having signed for West Ham in the August 2006 deadline, he then moved to Liverpool initially on loan on the January 2007 deadline, but not without many complications with Fifa and the Premier League about his registration as he had already played for two clubs that season.

However, that was sorted and Mascherano became a massive hit at Anfield, establishing a partnership in midfield with Xabi Alonso and Steven Gerrard, becoming one of the best defensive midfielders in the world. He was signed permanently from his third party ownership (Media Sports Investments) in early 2008 for £18m and enjoyed further success.

Benitez’s departure and Roy Hodgson’s appointment convinced Mascherano to go elsewhere and he signed for Barcelona for £18.25m in the summer of 2010. However, his dedication of Barcelona’s 2011 Champions League triumph over Manchester United to Liverpool was greatly appreciated!

5. Luis Suarez
It had to be him. The man who is breaking records at will and quickly entering the discussions of legendary status at Anfield arrived this time three years ago, almost unnoticed. Because of the Andy Carroll/Fernando Torres fiasco, Suarez’s arrival was celebrated, but then almost ignored as people realized the dream partnership of the Uruguayan and Torres would be scarpered if the Spaniard departed for Chelsea.

However, that £23m given to Ajax is becoming more of a bargain every single day, with Suarez scoring 4, 17, 30 and 23 goals in his three years at the club, with 74 goals in 117 appearances in total.

Without doubt he is currently in the top ten players in world football, the top three out and out strikers and only Messi and Ronaldo have definitive arguments to be above Suarez. He arguably heads that group of ‘world class’ players like Falcao, Ribery, Lewandowski etc. that sit behind the duo in Spain.

Hopefully he will remain at Liverpool for years to come, and is the most successful deadline day deal in Liverpool’s history.