How have players fared after replacing Liverpool legends?
Liverpool have bid farewell to a number of brilliant players over the years and Trent Alexander-Arnold will join that club when he completes his free transfer to Real Madrid.
Alexander-Arnold came through the academy at Liverpool and has won seven major honours, including two Premier League titles and the Champions League.
Jeremie Frimpong looks set to replace the right-back as Liverpool are going to trigger the €40 million (£33.6m, $44.5m) release clause in his Bayer Leverkusen contract.
We’ve taken a look at how Liverpool replaced some iconic figures and how those replacements have subsequently fared at Anfield.
Note: we’ve not included the likes of Robert Firmino, Sadio Mane or Philippe Coutinho as Liverpool didn’t sign a direct replacement for them in the same transfer window.
Jordan Henderson – Alexis Mac Allister
After enduring a difficult start to his Liverpool career, Henderson turned things around and ultimately became a key player under Jurgen Klopp.
The midfielder captained Liverpool to the Champions League title in 2018/19 before also lifting the Premier League, the FA Cup, the Carabao Cup, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.
He made a controversial move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq in the summer of 2023 and Liverpool completed a £35million deal to sign Mac Allister from Brighton.
The Argentina international has made a brilliant start to his Liverpool career, winning the Carabao Cup in 2023/24 and now the Premier League in 2024/25.
Fabinho – Wataru Endo
Alongside Henderson, Fabinho also established himself as an undisputed starter in Klopp’s midfield and played an integral role in their success.
But the Brazil international saw his form dip during the 2022/23 campaign and Liverpool decided to cash in, selling him to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad for £40million.
Liverpool initially identified Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia as their top transfer targets but instead signed Endo from Stuttgart after missing out on the duo.
The Japan international is a bit-part player at Anfield and Ryan Gravenberch – who also joined the club in the summer of 2023 – has since transitioned to the no.6 role under Arne Slot.
Steven Gerrard – James Milner
One of the greatest players in Liverpool’s history, Gerrard brought his 17-year career at Anfield to an end in the summer of 2015.
Liverpool then signed Milner on a free transfer following the expiration of his Manchester City contract and the move received a seal of approval from their former captain.
“He’ll bring a vast majority of experience,” Gerrard said. “I think it’s a very safe signing in the fact that he’s won things. He’s a proven winner—I think he’s still hungry. I know he’s a very fit boy, very professional and he won’t let anyone down.”
That proved correct as his experience and leadership qualities were invaluable to Klopp, and he won every major trophy during his eight-year stay at Anfield.
The 39-year-old left on a free transfer at the end of the 2022/23 season and was replaced by Gravenberch, who has been nominated for the 2024/25 Premier League Young Player of the Season award.
Luis Suarez – Mario Balotelli & Rickie Lambert & Divock Origi
After winning the Premier League Player of the Season award in 2013/14, Suarez left Liverpool and completed a £75million move to Barcelona.
The Reds were unable to secure Alexis Sanchez’s signature and they then signed Balotelli, Lambert and Origi for a combined £30million.
While Lambert and Balotelli shared just seven goals between them during their time at the club, Origi went on to secure cult hero status at Anfield.
The Belgium international netted 41 goals for the Reds, including the second in their 2-0 win over Tottenham in the 2019 Champions League final.
Jamie Carragher – Kolo Toure & Mamadou Sakho
A one-club man, Carragher made 737 appearances for Liverpool before hanging up his boots at the end of the 2012/13 season.
Liverpool then bolstered their centre-back options with two additions, signing Toure on a free transfer and buying Sakho from Paris Saint-Germain on transfer deadline day.
“Liverpool has to look for someone to replace him,” Toure said. “It is a big honour. To be chosen as Jamie Carragher’s replacement is unbelievable.
“He’s been a fantastic player for England and this football club. He is a great leader. It will not be easy but I will do my best.”
Sakho and Toure were both part of the side that narrowly missed out on the Premier League title in 2013/14 and they spent two more years at Anfield before leaving in 2016.
Pepe Reina – Simon Mignolet
Reina was Liverpool’s undisputed number-one goalkeeper for eight seasons between 2005 and 2013 and kept 177 clean sheets in 394 appearances in all competitions.
But he was allowed to join Napoli on a season-long loan deal for 2013/14 after Liverpool spent £9million to sign Mignolet from Sunderland.
The Belgium international initially impressed at Anfield but fell out of favour following the arrival of Klopp, who signed Loris Karius and then Alisson Becker.
Fernando Torres – Luis Suarez & Andy Carroll
Torres arrived at Liverpool in the summer of 2007 and went on to score 81 goals in 142 appearances for the club over the following three-and-a-half years.
Chelsea smashed the British transfer record to sign the striker in a £50million move on transfer deadline day in January 2011.
Liverpool had already lined up a deal to sign Suarez from Ajax but Torres’ departure saw Carroll also arrive at Anfield for a then-club record £35million.
While Suarez developed into one of the best players in the world, Carroll failed to justify his price tag and scored just 11 goals in 58 appearances in all competitions.
Javier Mascherano – Christian Poulsen
Mascherano was a firm fan favourite during his time at Anfield, but he moved to Barcelona in the summer of 2010 after Roy Hodgson replaced Rafa Benitez in the dugout.
Having worked with Poulsen at Copenhagen, Hodgson earmarked him as the ideal replacement for the Argentina international and Liverpool agreed a £4.5million deal with Juventus.
The former Denmark international struggled to adapt to Premier League football and made just 21 appearances during his solitary season at Anfield.
Xabi Alonso – Alberto Aquilani
After joining Liverpool from Real Sociedad in 2004, Alonso established himself as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League.
But Rafa Benitez was willing to sell him in the summer of 2008 in order to fund a move for Gareth Barry, which angered the former Spain international and saw him depart for Real Madrid a year later.
Barry ultimately moved to Manchester City and Liverpool switched their attention to Aquilani, who arrived from Roma in a £17.1million deal.
The midfielder was hampered by injury problems and never found his best form for Liverpool, making just 28 appearances in all competitions.
Michael Owen – Djibril Cisse
Alexander-Arnold is following in the footsteps of Owen, who also came through the Liverpool academy before moving to Real Madrid.
Cisse arrived a few weeks before Owen’s departure in the summer of 2004 and was tasked with filling the void left by the former Ballon d’Or winner.
The striker cost a then-club-record £14million, but he suffered a double leg break against Blackburn in the early months of his Anfield career.
He recovered in time to score his penalty in the shoot-out win against AC Milan in the 2005 Champions League final and also netted in the 2006 FA Cup final win over West Ham to take his Reds total to 24 goals in 82 appearances.