#9 Andy Carroll (£35 million), Rating – 5/10
The signing of Andy Carroll had all the signs of a panic buy. Current Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) were novices in the football arena then. And when fan favourite Fernando Torres was sold on deadline day in January 2011 for a whopping £50 million to Chelsea., the need to buy a top player in such a short time pushed the club to sign a young Andy Carroll from Newcastle for a then club record £35 million.
Carroll was another tall, strong centre-forward with stunning aerial prowess but in the days to come, he struggled with constant injuries and the criticism because of the heavy price-tag on his shoulders. Further, a certain Uruguayan forward lit up Anfield and the league making it even more difficult for the Englishman to establish himself.
He had, though, started off well as his aerial supremacy led to starring performances against Manchester City at Anfield. He would also score a memorable winner against local rivals Everton at Wembley in the FA Cup semi-final before scoring in the final against Chelsea in the final which Liverpool lost 1-2.
Finally, it looked a bad piece of business right from the beginning as Liverpool’s style under Brendan Rodgers did not suit him and the England international was promptly loaned out to West Ham the following season before the move was made permanent in the summer of 2013 for £15 million.
His performances in the second half of the 2011/12 season put him above Benteke. The Geordie scored a total of 11 goals in 58 matches for the Reds.
