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Liverpool rarely get their transfers wrong thanks to their data-driven model, which has brought them enormous success under Jurgen Klopp. The Reds have invested €928 million in the transfer market and recouped €584 million from player sales during Klopp's tenure.
This financial strategy has made Liverpool the most frugal spender among the traditional top six clubs since Klopp's appointment, with a net spend of just €344 million over nine years.
Klopp's ability to compete against a heavily funded Manchester City has highlighted the difficulty of breaking the monopoly in modern football. Despite their success, Liverpool, like any club, have had their share of transfer missteps.
In this article, we will examine five transfers that haven't worked out for the Reds.
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#5 Marko Grujic:
Liverpool's former assistant manager, Željko Buvač, played a crucial role in bringing Marko Grujić to Anfield during the January 2016 transfer window. Buvač personally flew to Serbia to finalize the transfer. The Reds signed Grujić for £5.1 million from Red Star Belgrade, impressed by the young, dynamic midfielder. However, the move did not pan out as expected; Grujić struggled to secure a place in the starting lineup, making only sporadic appearances during his debut season at Anfield.
After limited game time in the first half of his second campaign, Grujić was loaned to Cardiff City. His potential began to shine during consecutive loan spells at Hertha Berlin, where he developed significantly. Despite this progress, it became clear that he had fallen down the pecking order at Liverpool, making a permanent move away the best option.
When FC Porto offered £10.5 million for Grujić, Liverpool accepted, and he left after making just 16 appearances for the club. Grujić became a regular starter for Porto over the next three seasons, but has struggled for game-time this season.
#4 Thiago Alcantara:
After winning the 2019-20 Premier League title, Liverpool acquired Thiago Alcântara during the summer transfer window for £25 million on a four-year contract. The Spanish maestro decided to leave Bayern Munich to join Jürgen Klopp's Reds, a move that generated considerable buzz and excitement. However, this transfer has not worked out as well as hoped for any of the parties involved.
Thiago, now 33, has seen his career in England marred by persistent injuries, making him one of the more disappointing signings under Klopp. The Barcelona academy graduate has managed just 98 appearances for Liverpool over four years, with only one appearance this season. Despite a promising partnership with Fabinho and Naby Keïta during Liverpool's Premier League and Champions League campaigns in the 2021-22 season, Thiago's contributions have been limited.
The Anfield faithful had high expectations for Thiago, but injuries have prevented him from fully realizing his potential at the club, leading to widespread disappointment.
#3 Loris Karius:
Loris Karius challenged Simon Mignolet for the number one spot during the early stages of the 2016-17 season and initially won the position. However, he struggled to maintain it due to a series of costly errors, with Bournemouth's winner in a 4-3 loss being the final straw for that season. Mignolet reclaimed the Premier League starting role the following season, with Karius featuring in cup competitions. Eventually, Karius regained the Premier League spot in the second half of the season.
Despite a decent spell, Karius' Liverpool career is mostly remembered for his disastrous performance in the 2017-18 Champions League final. He made a critical error by throwing the ball straight to Karim Benzema, who scored with ease. Later, Karius failed to stop a routine shot from Gareth Bale, leading to another goal. These mistakes prompted Liverpool to sign Alisson Becker in the summer transfer window, effectively ending Karius' stint as the club's first-choice goalkeeper. Despite being signed for just £4.5 million from Mainz and being highly rated, he ultimately turned out to be a disappointment for Liverpool.
Karius spent two years on loan at Besiktas, but the Turkish club opted not to sign him permanently. He was then loaned to Union Berlin, where he was relegated to the bench due to multiple errors. Currently, the former Mainz shot-stopper is the third-choice goalkeeper at Newcastle United, behind Nick Pope and Martin Dúbravka.
#2 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain:
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain turned down a move to Chelsea to join Liverpool for £35 million from Arsenal during the dying moments of the 2017 summer transfer window. The English attacking midfielder opted for the Reds because he wanted to play in his preferred midfield role, which wasn't guaranteed at Chelsea under Antonio Conte.
Initially, his career at Liverpool showed promise and was on an upward trajectory until he suffered a knee injury against AS Roma in the Champions League semifinals in 2018 at Anfield. This setback kept him out of action for over a year, and he finally made his comeback against Huddersfield Town a year later.
However, persistent hamstring and knee injuries continued to plague him in the following seasons, preventing him from making a significant impact on the pitch. Oxlade-Chamberlain made 146 appearances for Liverpool, scoring 18 goals and providing 15 assists. While Liverpool fans sympathize with him for the severe knee injury, his journey ultimately turned out to be a disappointment.
#1 Naby Keita:
Naby Keita was one of the most sought-after midfielders during his time at RB Leipzig. The Reds agreed a £52 million deal, a club record fee at the time, for his signature in the summer of 2017.
Keita joined the club in 2018 and his career at Liverpool began promisingly, with several impressive displays, but unfortunately, injuries soon became a recurring issue. Despite his determination to succeed, a reckless tackle from Ivan Rakitić during the Champions League semifinals prematurely ended Keita's season. The Guinean international managed just 27 appearances in the following season, once again hampered by injuries.
Although Keita's performances during the 2021-22 campaign warranted consideration for a new contract, Liverpool opted to take a cautious approach due to his injury history. This decision proved prescient, as Keita made only 13 appearances in his final season at the club.
Werder Bremen welcomed him eagerly last summer, but persistent injury issues have limited him to just five appearances for the club.
