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#3: Luis Suarez (Moved from Liverpool to Barcelona in 2014)
When he arrived at Liverpool in the winter of 2011 after a prolific spell at Ajax, Luis Suarez was the Anfield club's costliest signing, till Andy Carroll usurped him.
Suarez lived up to his reputation and scored goals aplenty to ensure that Liverpool did not miss Fernando Torres, who made a shock exit to Chelsea during that transfer window.
The diminutive Uruguayan striker, who was renowned for his powerful shots, technical ability and versatility, took some time to adapt to his new surroundings before he got better with every subsequent season.
Suarez's best campaign for the club came during the 2013-14 season when he scored 31 goals to lead Liverpool to the cusp of their first Premier League title before they spectacularly imploded.
Suarez won the European Golden Shoe that season along with Cristiano Ronaldo, but just when it looked like the Uruguayan was destined for greater heights, Barcelona came calling in the summer.
Liverpool could have held on to one of their most prized assets, but they couldn't guarantee Champions League success, which the player craved for. Eventually, Suarez left to join Barcelona where he won the competition as the Catalan club completed an incredible treble.
In a later interview with Jamie Carragher, Suarez revealed the reason for leaving Liverpool.
"My desire at Liverpool was to help get the club playing in the elite because they had been five years without it. We used to talk about it in the dressing room. If Liverpool are not in the Champions League, it is difficult to get the best players to come to the club.That's why for me to come to Barcelona there had to be that opportunity to not just play the tournament but to win it."
Suarez continued his goal-scoring ways at Barcelona, and won many individual and team honours during a period when Livepool were largely in a rebuilding phase.
#2: Raheem Sterling (Moved from Liverpool to Manchester City in 2015)
It was at Liverpool where Raheem Sterling commenced his professional career nine years ago as a precocious teenager.
However, back then, Sterling was nowhere near the player he has blossomed into at Manchester City under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola. Known for his pace and dribbling ability, Sterling did exhibit flashes of his brilliance at Liverpool but could only conjure a modest haul of 23 goals in 129 appearances in all competitions across four seasons.
City recognised the potential in the youngster and came up with a near £50 million (with add-ons) offer in the summer of 2015 for the services of Sterling, which Liverpool couldn't resist.
And as things turned out, the move to City rejuvenated the young Englishman as he evolved into one of the most lethal marksman in Europe. This is evident in his impressive tally of 100 goals for the club in five seasons, with 31 of them coming in the last campaign.
"When I got into Liverpool I said if I haven’t won the Premier League by the time I’m 21, I need to look at my options and see what I’m doing there. I put that into place from a young age. And I came to City and won my first Premier League. It’s just good to know what I’ve set out to do – what we’ve set out as a team to do – is going as planned."
Although Sterling didn't taste Premier League success at the age of 21, it was not too long in coming as he played a stellar role in City's back-to-back triumphs in 2018 and 2019.
The 'sterling' progress of Sterling at City would only fill Liverpool with regret, as they let go an unpolished diamond who could have blossomed under Jurgen Klopp.
#1: Javier Mascherano (Moved from Liverpool to Barcelona in 2010)
Javier Mascherano made his name as a defensive midfielder during his four-season stint with Liverpool.
The Argentina international, who was renowned for his tactical intelligence, passing prowess, positional sense and hard tackling despite his small stature, formed a formidable midfield trio at Liverpool alongside Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso.
Though Mascherano did not score goals aplenty (he scored just twice in 139 appearances in all competitions for the club), the 36-year-old excelled in a deep-lying role for Liverpool.
The midfielder, who later played as a centre-back for Barcelona, left Liverpool on a 'toxic' note. In a later interview, the Argentine revealed as much.
"I am predisposed to close it on time because when I left Liverpool, it wasn't good for me, and I didn't like it. I didn't like having the feeling that I could go back to Liverpool, and there was still something toxic there. And I don't want the same thing to happen to me at Barcelona."
Liverpool can only wonder what might have been had the versatile Mascherano stayed on at the club, as the player went on to enjoy a successful seven-season stint at Barcelona.
