How will Rodgers’ latest recruits compare…
SEE ALSO: Liverpool’s worst ever signings!
Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool have been busy in the transfer window so far this summer – signing Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana from Southampton and agreeing a deal to sign Emre Can from Bayer Leverkusen.
In total, Rodgers has now signed 19 players for a combined fee of £134,780,000. But just how successful have his signings been? Here’s a look at who the likes of Lambert and Lallana have to live up to:
1) Fabio Borini (Failure)
Borini has been more unfortunate than a failure at Anfield. After an injury-hit debut campaign he was loaned to Sunderland, and enjoyed a successful season at the Stadium of Light. However, he has so far failed to justify his £10.4 million fee in a Liverpool shirt, with just two goals scored.
2) Joe Allen (Undecided)
Allen cost Rodgers £15 million from his former club Swansea City, and while it would be harsh to call him a failure at this stage, his first two seasons at Anfield have been unspectacular. With the imminent arrivals of Lallana and Can, he could find opportunities even harder to come by next season.
3) Oussama Assaidi (Failure)
Like Borini, while Assaidi has been successful in a loan spell away from Anfield – starring for Stoke City last season – he has not yet produced for his parent club. While he has not been a particularly expensive ‘mistake’, with the Reds having paid just £3 million for him to Heerenveen, they will have hoped for more from the Moroccan international.
4) Nuri Sahin (Failure)
A spectacular failure, Sahin never settled in England after agreeing a season long loan move to Liverpool from Real Madrid. The Reds called-off the deal mid-way through the season and the player was instead loaned to former club Borussia Dortmund. The Turkish international made seven league appearances for the Reds.
5) Samed Yesil (Failure)
The young German arrived at Liverpool with a big reputation, having scored 20 goals in 21 games for his country’s Under-17’s side, and another 8 goals for the Under-19’s. However, he has never got close to the Reds first team, while he has also been beset with injuries. Two brief League Cup appearances are all Yesil has to show for his time at Liverpool.
6) Daniel Sturridge (Success)
A masterstroke of a signing, Sturridge cost Liverpool just £12 million from Chelsea, and has rewarded Rodgers’ faith with 35 goals in 49 games over the last 18 months. The striker has found his home at Anfield, and is now a key player for both club and country.
7) Philippe Coutinho (Success)
Another bargain buy, the Brazilian has more than justified his £8.5 million fee from Italian giants Inter Milan. Coutinho has netted eight times in his first 50 appearances for the Reds, while his creativity and versatility in midfield or out wide has been a revelation.
8) Joao Carlos Teixeira & 9) Luis Alberto (Undecided)
A youngster with a bright future, Teixeira made his Premier League debut last year and impressed in the 3-2 comeback win over Fulham. Having cost less that £1 million from Sporting Lisbon, he could prove a successful piece of business from Rodgers.
Another young player, Alberto found first-team chances limited last season after his £6.8 million move from Sevilla. His already agreed loan move to Malaga next season could make or break his Anfield career.
10) Iago Aspas (Failure)
Aspas arrived at Anfield hoping to provide support for Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge. In reality, the former Celta Vigo striker desperately struggled, netting his only goal for the club in an FA Cup win over Oldham Athletic. With Lambert now having arrived at the club, this £7 million signing will likely be on his way out.
11) Simon Mignolet (Undecided)
Mignolet had plenty to live up to as he was brought in as the replacement for long-time crowd favourite Pepe Reina. The £9 million signing from Sunderland had the dream debut when he saved a penalty in Liverpool’s 1-0 win over Stoke City, but struggled in parts last season with a couple of high-profile mistakes – none more costly than in the 2-1 defeat by Manchester City.
12) Kolo Toure (Failure)
An experienced central defender brought in to fill the void left by Jamie Carragher, Toure had a difficult season at Anfield, making several vital errors. He lost his place in the team during the second half of the campaign, and is unlikely to return to the club next season.
13) Aly Cissokho (Failure)
Rodgers hoped he’d found the answer to Liverpool’s problems at left back with the loan signing of Cissokho from Valencia. However, the player struggled at Anfield, failing to hold down a place in the team despite the long-term injury to Jose Enrique, with John Flanagan usually preferred.
14) Mamodou Sakho (Undecided)
An impressive prospect, with a vast amount of European and International experience already secured, despite being just 24. His first season at Anfield saw him pick-up several injuries, and having made just 18 Premier League appearances thus far, it’s too early to call his £15 million move either success or failure.
15) Tiago Ilori (Failure)
The 21-year-old defender came to find the Anfield club full of expectation, but he is yet to make a Premier League appearance. The £7 million signing was loaned out to Granada at the start of the year, and will have to work hard to win a chance in the Liverpool team next season.
16) Victor Moses (Failure)
It all look so promising when the Chelsea loanee struck on his Liverpool debut against Swansea City in September of last year. But that would be his only Premier League goal for the club, and he found himself sitting on the bench for much of the second-half of the season.
