Many stars have left Liverpool FC after shining brightly with the “Reds,” lured by attractive offers from other European clubs. Some managed to maintain their form with their new teams, while others lost their way and faded into obscurity.
Trent Alexander-Arnold remains linked with a move to Real Madrid, either in the current winter transfer window or next summer. However, many prominent players have seen their performances decline after leaving Liverpool, while others, like Luis Suárez and Steve McManaman, achieved great success at other clubs.
Here are the players who failed to shine after departing from Liverpool:
- Ian Rush
Liverpool’s all-time top scorer believes that his brief stint in Italy with Juventus, although not successful, helped improve his game during his second, stellar spell with the English giants. Rush shared: “I went to Italy as a goal-scorer and came back a better player. At Liverpool, because we were such a great team, my job was just to be in and around the penalty box. In Italy, I found myself in different areas of the pitch, even coming back to the halfway line and doing everything.”
- Michael Owen
Owen left for Real Madrid while at the peak of his Liverpool career but faced significant misfortune with the Spanish giants, suffering from injuries and competition from other top stars like Raúl González and Ronaldo. Despite this, the English international still defends his decision to join the Royal club.
- Fernando Torres
Although Torres won the UEFA Champions League with Chelsea after leaving Liverpool, he was never the same player who had been the attacking force for the “Reds.” The once prolific striker seemed out of place, failing to replicate the form he had shown with Liverpool. He scored 81 goals in 145 appearances for Liverpool but only managed 45 goals in 172 appearances for Chelsea.
- Philippe Coutinho
The Brazilian playmaker left Liverpool in January 2017 in a historic move to Barcelona, intended to replace Neymar, who had moved to Paris Saint-Germain. However, Coutinho’s usual brilliance diminished significantly at Barcelona before he moved on to Bayern Munich.
- Georginio Wijnaldum
The Dutch midfielder left Liverpool after helping them win the UEFA Champions League, moving to Paris Saint-Germain. However, he struggled to make an impact at the French club and was loaned to Roma under José Mourinho after just one season. A broken leg injury further hindered his career, and he eventually joined Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia.
- Sadio Mané
The Senegalese star was a key figure in Liverpool’s attacking line under manager Jürgen Klopp. However, after a strained relationship with the club’s management over contract renewal terms, he moved to Bayern Munich. Unfortunately, his time at the Bavarian club was disappointing, leading to a swift move to Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.