Who is Liverpool’s greatest ever Spanish import…
SEE ALSO: The Best Liverpool goals.
Earlier today, Javier Manquillo became Liverpool’s seventh summer signing. The Atletico Madrid loanee also became the Reds eighteenth Spanish first-team player in the club’s history.
With that in mind, CaughtOffside takes a look back and evaluates the top ten Spanish players to have ever pulled on the famous red shirt:
10) Luis Alberto
While the Spanish youth international is yet to truly make his mark at Anfield, the 21-year-old midfielder has bags of potential, and is already impressing on loan at Malaga, where he will spend the duration of next season.
9) Suso
Another exciting youngster, who already has a handful of Premier League appearances to his name. The 20-year-old is already something of a favourite at Anfield, and impressed while on loan at Almeria last season.
8) Fernando Morientes
The now retired striker was brought to Liverpool from Real Madrid in 2005 by Rafael Benitez, but failed to make a real impact at Anfield. However, he did manage 12 goals during his 18 month spell in England, helping the Reds lift the FA Cup.
7) Albert Riera
The left-sided midfielder came to Liverpool in 2008, having already secured Premier League appearances during a loan spell with Manchester City. He started brightly at Anfield, playing 40 times and scoring five goals during his first season, but struggled the following year and eventually departed for Olympiacos.
6) Alvaro Arbeloa
A steady and consistent right-back who was with Liverpool between 2007 and 2009 before making the move to Real Madrid, and continuing his successful career. Arbeloa made a total of 98 appearances for the Reds, scoring twice.
5) Jose Enrique
The current Liverpool left-back has had his progress at the club held up by injuries in the last year or so, but has otherwise impressed since joining from Newcastle in 2011 – making 72 Premier League appearances.
4) Luis Garcia
The scorer of the famous ‘ghost goal’ which took Liverpool to the Champions League final in 2005, Garcia netted a total of 30 goals during three seasons with the Reds, in which he also made in excess of 100 appearances.
3) Pepe Reina
One of the greatest goalkeepers in modern Liverpool history, and the record holder for Premier League clean-sheets, it’s been a shame to see his decline from the Reds number one spot to an unwanted outcast over the last year.
2) Fernando Torres
Torres scored a stunning 81 goals in 142 appearances for Liverpool, as for three and a half years he was Anfield’s golden boy. To put that total into context, during his time with Chelsea he has managed 36 less goals in 30 more appearances.
1) Xabi Alonso
One of the heroes of Istanbul, Alonso earned himself a place in Liverpool history when he scored the third and equalising goal during that famous match with AC Milan in 2005. He has only continued to establish himself as one of the greatest midfield players of a generation since leaving Anfield for Real Madrid in 2009.