5 players whose careers dipped after joining Liverpool

Mario Balotelli is one of many players whose careers nosedived after joining Liverpool.
Mario Balotelli is one of many players whose careers nosedived after joining Liverpool.

#3 Lazar Markovic

Lazar Markovic
Lazar Markovic

Liverpool signed Lazar Markovic from Benfica in a deal worth £20 million in 2014. Markovic made 34 appearances in his first season with the Reds but was mainly used as a bit-part player.

He spent the next five years on loan at five different clubs while still being contracted with Liverpool. At the end of his contract in 2019, Markovic was released by the Reds.

Markovic signed a three-year contract with Partizan in 2019. He has managed to revive his career there, scoring 16 goals in 32 league appearances.


#2 Lorius Karius

Loris Karius
Loris Karius

Loris Karius will forever be remembered by Liverpool fans for his two mistakes in the 2017-18 Champions League final against Real Madrid.

The German goalkeeper signed for Liverpool in 2016 and was expected to take over from Simon Mignolet as the club's new no.1.

Karius, however, failed to make use of his opportunities and was prone to making high-profile errors. His mistakes in the Champions League final sealed his fate at Liverpool.

The young German was sent to Turkish club Besiktas on loan for two years before he joined Union Berlin on loan for the season.

Karius is still contracted with Liverpool, but it is difficult to imagine he still has a future at the club.


#1 Alberto Aquilani

Alberto Aquilani
Alberto Aquilani

The once highly-rated Italian midfielder, Alberto Aquilani was tipped to be the next 'Andrea Pirlo' when he joined Liverpool. The Reds thought he would be the ideal replacement for Xabi Alonso, who left Anfield to join Real Madrid.

However, Aquilani suffered a number of injuries after joining Liverpool. He made just 26 appearances in his first season with the club before he was loaned out to Juventus and AC Milan for the next two seasons. Aquilani was eventually sold to Fiorentina in 2012.

Aquilani was able to revive his career at Fiorentina but never managed to reach the heights that were expected of him when he joined Liverpool.

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