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Liverpool are known for their clever dealings in the transfer market, with Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Virgil Van Dijk's recent recruitments bearing testament to that.
Even though clubs are struggling financially due to the pandemic, the upcoming summer transfer window could see big splurges, as the likes of Erling Haaland, Neymar and Jadon Sancho are rumoured to be on the move.
Five baffling signings made by Liverpool:
Despite inflated prices being the norm, Liverpool are shrewd operators in transfer the market, seldom overpaying for their acquisitions. That includes their £37.8 million transfer of Salah from AS Roma. Even the £19.8 million they paid for Thiago Alcantara was way below the two-time Champions League winner's market value.
However, Liverpool haven't always made the best transfer decisions, with some signings making little to no sense. On that note, let's take a look at five baffling Liverpool signings.
#5 Charlie Adam | Blackpool | £7.5 million
Premier League fans will never forget Charlie Adam for his magnificent strike from the halfway line against Chelsea. But that goal came for Blackpool, and not much followed after his move to Anfield.
Roy Hodgson's time at Liverpool led to one of the worst phases for the club in their recent history, and that included a host of below-par signings, Charlie Adam being one of them.
At that time, Liverpool were a top-4 contender but were not a guaranteed bet for a Champions League spot, unlike their arch-rivals Manchester United and Arsenal.
Adam found himself part of the Liverpool lineup, but he couldn't do much to change their fortunes. In 37 appearances for the Reds, Adam managed to find the back of the net just twice, while making ten assists.
After joining Liverpool in the 2011 summer transfer window, Adam departed after just a solitary season at the club.
While the Scot was an incredibly hard-working player at Blackpool, along with being one of the finest corner-takers in English football, he could never show his true potential at a top European club like Liverpool.
#4 Stewart Downing | Aston Villa | £20 million
Like most players on our list, Downing would have been considered a good signing for a mid-table Premier League team. However, for a club like Liverpool with Champions League ambitions and a rich history, Downing did not produce the expected performance levels.
The Englishman was an experienced campaigner in the Premier League, with 311 caps for Aston Villa, for whom he was a mainstay. However, he failed to make an impact at Anfield, scoring just seven goals and 12 assists from 91 appearances. Downing was goalless for the first 2,477 minutes of his Liverpool career.
The signings of players like Stewart Downing became commonplace at Liverpool, but his playing style did not suit the demands of a top European club.
A massive reason for Liverpool's 2019-20 Premier League triumph was the appointment of Michael Edwards as their first sporting director in 2016.
Operating with a limited budget, Michael Edwards managed to bring in the likes of Salah, Mane and Van Dijk, among others. And the rest, as they say, is history.
#3 Fabio Borini | AS Roma | £11.5 million
Former Premier League and FA Cup winner Fabio Borini was another surprise Liverpool signing. While the first two names on our list mainly operated as midfielders, Borini had a miserly return of three goals in 38 appearances as a striker.
The Italian won a Premier League medal with Chelsea in 2009-10, after barely meeting the minimum requirement to be considered part of the squad.
Borini was one of the lowest goal-scoring strikers in the Premier League, especially for someone playing for top clubs like Chelsea and Liverpool. He scored only 16 times in 111 Premier League appearances. With no disrespect to Borini, he always functioned as a bit-part player, known more for his hold-up play than goal-scoring abilities.
The Italian, one of several disappointing signings at Liverpool, departed the club after three seasons, one of which was spent on loan at Sunderland. Borini looked more at home at Sunderland, scoring 17 goals for the Black Cats, which helped him earn a loan move to AC Milan before a permanent transfer in 2018.
#2 Alberto Aquilani | AS Roma | €20 million
Alberto Aquilani was the man brought in by Liverpool to replace Xabi Alonso after the Spaniard made a move to Real Madrid. However, Aquilani was more of a desperate splurge from Liverpool, as they failed to land their first target, Gareth Barry.
In retrospect, Liverpool would have preferred to save on the €20 million on Aquilani and spent it in the upcoming transfer windows, as the Italian notched up only 18 Premier League appearances.
Across all competitions, Aquilani managed a meagre return of two goals and six assists. Injuries did not help the now-retired player, as he never managed to get a prolonged run in the Liverpool XI and was eventually relegated to appearances in the 'lesser' matches.
The two-time Serie A winner barely lasted a season at Anfield before departing for Juventus the next season. He was then passed on to AC Milan in the next season.
#1 Mario Balotelli | AC Milan | £18 million
Mario Balotelli was regarded as one of the most talented forwards in the game. But the Italian had fallen way off his perch by the time he arrived at Liverpool. While his attitude and temperament have always been a bone of contention, Balotelli's goals had dried up as well.
Moreover, the Italian was brought in to replace the hugely successful Luis Suarez, who almost led Liverpool to a Premier League title in the 2013-14 season.
Currently plying his trade at Serie B outfit, AC Monza, Balotelli lasted only two seasons at Liverpool before he was released for free to Nice. Balotelli could not recreate his glory days at Manchester City, as he managed only four goals and no assists in 28 appearances, including a solitary Premier League goal during his ill-fated stint at Liverpool.
Much like Alberto Aquilani, the former Premier League winner was a last-ditch signing after Liverpool's failure to acquire their top targets in the position.
This 2015 transfer deal was yet another result of Liverpool's poor scouting prior to the glorious Michael Edwards era.
