5 worst Liverpool signings in the Premier League era

#3 Stewart Downing (2011-2013)

Slow and lacking in confidence, Downing was one of the many duds bought by Daglish

The English winger was expected to be one of the catalysts of the Reds’ revival under cult hero Kenny Daglish but instead turned out to be symptomatic of the club’s headless-chicken transfer policy under King Kenny.

Brought in for £20m in 2011 from Aston Villa, Downing was supposed to the speedy, English trickster who would be whipping in crosses from the left for Fernando Torres (and later Andy Carroll) to profit from.

A decent player in his own right, the English winger never even came close to delivering anything like what was expected of him.

His signing and performances were perhaps the biggest pointers to Daglish’s inability to adapt to the modern game and his tactics which did the club no favours.

At the time he was signed, the general understanding was that he was signed to get the best out of Carroll who had arrived seven months earlier.

On paper it seemed a good idea; the left-footed winger delivering in-swinging crosses into the box for the 6”5’ Carroll to knock into the net or nod down for midfield runners/supporting strikers like Luis Suárez, Dirk Kuyt, captain Steven Gerrard and others.

Downing’s final tally of seven assists and three goals in 65 Premier League games for the Reds over the two seasons he spent at the club were indicative of just how mediocre he was.