Rafa's transfer regrets January 11 2008
With the obscure Martin Skrtel jetting into Anfield, Richard Ferraris surveys some of Rafa Benitez's lousiest signings.
The list of footballers that Benitez has missed out on is an impressive one. Dani Alves, Cicinho, Mancini, Nemanja Vidic, Tomás Ujfalusi, Gabriel Milito and Valeri Bojinov are just some of the players to spurn the Reds' starry-eyed advances. This coupled with Rick Parry's inability to close a deal mean that the Merseysiders often sign second-rate players.
Momo Sissoko
Liverpool spent £5.6million to prise the midfielder from Valencia. His combative style resulted in immediate, and somewhat optimistic, comparisons with Patrick Vieira. This excited Scousers until they saw him play and realised the comparison is only valid if Vieira's legs were bound together.
Blessed with the technique of a drunken boxer in a phonebooth, the 22-year-old's inability to simply pass the ball to his team-mates is nothing but infuriating. Sissoko also suffered damage to his retina in a clash with Benfica's Beto, which is the last thing he needed since he couldn't pass the ball when he could see.
Reds fans are cheering on Mali in the hope that they progress to the knockout phase of the African Cup of Nations - so as to prolong Sissoko's absence from the Liverpool starting XI.
Josemi and Jan Kromkamp
The two right-backs are grouped together as there was no discernible difference between their abject performances for the 18-times league winners. Josemi was Benitez's first signing, and with hindsight proved to be a marker of what was to come.
After displacing Steve Finnan in the starting line-up, Josemi enjoyed a decent run in the first team before receiving a red card against Fulham. After a few more anonymous displays he was shipped off to Villarreal - with Kromkamp moving in the opposite way.
Alas, the Dutch international was nothing but a better-looking version of the man he replaced. His defensive naivety cost Liverpool a crucial draw against Manchester United which sealed his fate as another over-priced and over-hyped foreigner. He was last spotted in a car park in Eindhoven, allegedly involved in a brawl with two teenagers. And we thought Liverpool was rough.
Fernando Morientes
The striker was seen as a symbol of the Rafalution. The Spanish international was a key component in Real Madrid's La Liga and Champions League winning sides. His excellence in the air and clinical finishing was thought to be perfectly suited to the Premier League.
But with all the pace of a Charlotte Bronte novel, Morientes found it impossible to acclimatise to English football. Although he did, on occasion, find his way into dangerous areas, his normally dependable finishing deserted him when it mattered most.
Anfield has become something of a striker's graveyard in recent times as Morientes, Djibril Cisse and Milan Baros' spells at the club prove. But credit to Moro, at least he has resurrected his career at Valencia.
Dirk Kuyt
Many a Liverpool fan would be happy to see Kuyt sold to a mediocre English club where he can toil endlessly and try to revive his career ala Morientes. Statistically, the Dutchman is one of the five most reckless finishers in the Premier League.
His career return of 22 goals in 66 matches is hardly awe-inspiring, nor is his work-rate, which commentators feel they must mention every time Kuyt touches the ball (and he usually gives it away shortly thereafter). Honest endeavour like Kuyt's is all very admirable but it belongs in the post office.
On a more serious note, as a 27-year-old, Kuyt is unlikely to improve much in the coming years. He is already the "finished article". The former Feyenoord man did score a crucial goal against Chelsea last season, but the majority of his goals come in losing causes (like the Champions League final against Milan) or once Liverpool have already won.
Honourable mentions
The disastrous Antonio Nunez, a makeweight in the Michael Owen deal, is perhaps the worst ever player to don the Red of Liverpool (but having said that Benitez selling the walking-wounded Owen was rather canny).
Jermaine Pennant, the poor man's Steve McManaman, is also a worthy candidate on any list cataloguing Benitez's worst signings - along with Bolo Zenden and Andriy Voronin.
For Liverpool and Benitez, here's hoping Skrtel won't make his way onto this list...
Richard Ferraris