11 Players Who Left Liverpool And Ended Up Regretting It | OneFootball

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When you think of Liverpool, you're immediately hit with visions of the iconic Kop, legendary nights, and those unforgettable Champions League comebacks.

But imagine waving goodbye to all that. Over the years, several Reds stars have swapped the Anfield roar for 'fresh starts' elsewhere.

While some went on to add silverware to their personal trophy cabinets, others? Not so much. Here, we’re looking at those who decided to cut ties with Liverpool – and whether, in the cold light of day, they might just wish they'd stayed put...

11 Philippe Coutinho

When Coutinho packed his bags from Inter Milan back in 2013 for a seemingly modest £8m, few could predict the Brazilian sensation was about to light up Anfield! The Brazilian soon began to pull tricks that left jaws dropping, stamping his mark as one of the world's top-tier talents.

But then came Barcelona's call. And let's be real, which South American star wouldn't get starry-eyed? Coutinho decided to jump ship in January 2018, a move that didn't sit well with some passionate Liverpool fans.

Fast forward, and where's the sizzling Coutinho we once knew? While his stint at Barca may have been less than magical, a reunion with the iconic Steven Gerrard at Villa Park did see some sparks fly. And, even after Gerrard's exit, under the watchful eyes of Unai Emery, now and then, we still get those nostalgic flashes of the Coutinho we once fell in love with.

However, he's not got back to the level he was at at Liverpool, and there's a chance now he never will.

10 Sadio Mane

While Mohamed Salah often grabbed the headlines in terms of goals, Sadio Mane was right there on the other flank, lighting up the pitch with his electric displays.

Part of one of the most iconic attacking trios in recent Premier League history, the summer of 2022 saw the Senegalese star trade the Kop for the Allianz Arena. Mane's move to Bayern Munich grabbed plenty of headlines, but as the season rolled out, the narrative began to change.

For a player of Mane's calibre, 7 league goals and a lengthy injury spell last year wasn't the debut season they'd hoped for and he has since joined Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia.

9 Emre Can

Remember when Emre Can took that dramatic bow from Anfield? Well, he quickly became a cornerstone of Juventus' 2018-19 squad, with 29 league outings and a handful of Champions League cameos.

But as the saying goes, football is a fickle friend. Juve's glitzy signings soon after, starring the likes of midfield maestros Aaron Ramsey and Adrien Rabiot, saw Can's star start to wane.

Fast forward and the 29-year-old has taken his talents back to Germany, sporting the black and yellow of Borussia Dortmund. And while Can has been finding his groove in the Bundesliga, his former Reds clinched that elusive Premier League title in 19/20. One can't help but wonder: had he stayed, could he have etched his name into Liverpool legend?

8 Michael Owen

It's one of those tales that’s ingrained in football folklore: Michael Owen, the prodigy who came of age under the shadow of Anfield's towering Kop. With 13 years, youth stints included, Owen netted an astonishing 118 Premier League goals in just 216 appearances. No wonder he was heralded a legend, both for Liverpool and England.

However, as Liverpool's Premier League title hopes seemed perpetually out of grasp, Owen sought to swap the Mersey for Madrid, and in the summer of 2004, he did just that.

While the striker did find the back of the net 13 times in his only season with Los Blancos, he always wanted to come back to Liverpool, but that never happened. His career was a journey of dizzying highs and perplexing lows, typical of the rollercoaster world of football.

7 Peter Crouch

Peter Crouch, the towering striker with the robot dance, isn't one to mince words. “I left Liverpool too soon,” he admits, “and that's a decision I've often looked back on," he said via the Mail.

From 2005 to 2008, the England international netted 24 times in 93 appearances. Though Crouch faced his share of initial hiccups, he soon charmed the Anfield faithful with his unique blend of aerial prowess and nimble footwork. But being the main man up front? That remained an elusive dream.

The tipping point? That fateful night in 2007 against AC Milan in the Champions League final. Crouch was left out of the starting lineup and when Fernando Torres arrived the following summer, the writing seemed to be on the wall. A year later, Crouch opted for a familiar haven, returning to Portsmouth. A choice that, in hindsight, he reckons was too hasty.

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6 Robbie Fowler

For the Anfield faithful, Robbie Fowler wasn't just a player – he was "God". Over a 17-year stint, including a nine-year journey with the youth ranks, Fowler carved his name into Liverpool legend, netting a whopping 120 Premier League goals in just 236 appearances.

However, football fairytales aren't without their twists. Come 2001, in a shock move, he departed Anfield for Leeds United.

The Kop's icon struggled to recapture the magic elsewhere, with him making his way to Manchester City after Elland Road.

Liverpool's prodigal son did return later in his career for a nostalgic stint, adding 8 more goals to his tally.

5 Nick Barmby

Nestled in the annals of Liverpool history, Nick Barmby's name might not be the first that jumps out, but boy, did he have a flair for showing up when it mattered. With 23 England caps under his belt, Barmby was part of that golden era around the millennium turn where Anfield glittered with silverware, from the FA Cup to the UEFA Cup.

In 2002, at the peak of his powers, Barmby swapped the Kop for Elland Road, inking a deal with Leeds United. But that movie script soon spiralled - Leeds faced relegation and Barmby graced the pitch only 25 times in two rollercoaster seasons.

4 Gini Wijnaldum

Gini Wijnaldum was nothing short of a maestro in Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool setup. After turning the Anfield pitch into his playground for five glorious years, Gini found himself at a crossroads. Desiring a paycheque befitting his contributions – and something more aligned with Liverpool’s top brass – he stood firm.

While Liverpool's offer remained static, a tempting dance card started to take shape. Heavyweights like Inter, Juventus, Bayern, and Barça were all wooing the ex-Newcastle sensation. But, in a plot twist worthy of a Netflix series, PSG’s eye-watering £300,000 a week deal made the City of Lights shine a tad brighter for the Dutchman.

Yet, Parisian dreams didn't quite translate to reality. Reduced to warming the bench in crucial Ligue 1 and Champions League clashes, murmurs started swirling midway through his debut season, and he found himself on loan at Roma before too long.

From consistently stealing the show at Liverpool to navigating uncharted waters in Paris, Wijnaldum's tale is a reminder of football's unpredictable narrative.

3 John Arne Riise

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MAY 26: Steven Gerrard (R) leads the celebrations with (L-R) Steve Finnan, Jerzy Dudek, Igor Biscan, Jamie Carragher, Dietmar Hamman and John Arne Riise during the homecoming victory parade through the streets of Liverpool on May 26, 2005 in Liverpool, England. Liverpool defeated AC Milan in a penalty shoot out 3-2 to win the UEFA Champions League final. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

John Arne Riise etched his name in Reds folklore as part of that unforgettable 2005 Champions League-winning squad. Basking in the limelight, Riise proudly vocalised his desire to end his career at Anfield. But football's unpredictable, isn't it?

The subsequent seasons brought turbulence. With emerging competition from Fabio Aurélio, Riise's status shifted from indispensable to bench-warmer. In 2008, seeking a fresh start, he ventured to the eternal city with Roma, sealing two years. This was followed by a rather muted three-year stint at Fulham.

In retrospect, Riise's Anfield journey was emblematic of the highs and lows of football – meteoric rises, dramatic tumbles, and everything in between.

2 Luis Garcia

Slated initially as a backup for El Hadji Diouf, García quickly shattered those tempered expectations. A linchpin in Liverpool's forward line, the Spaniard netted seven times in the 2004-05 campaign, including a memorable strike in the Merseyside derby. But it was his controversial "ghost goal" in the Champions League semi-final against Chelsea that will forever be etched in Anfield lore, giving Jose Mourinho sleepless nights.

However, all tales have an end. A return to Spain saw García often relegated to the bench. Journeys to Racing de Santander, Panathinaikos, and Puebla followed before the curtains fell on his career with Central Coast Mariners.

García's peak, without doubt, was under Liverpool's floodlights. A place where he was, and forever will be, an Anfield hero.

1 Yossi Benayoun

Ditching a verbal nod to extend his stay at West Ham, Benayoun pivoted, opting for the allure of Rafael Benítez's project at Anfield – a decision that cost Liverpool a cool £5 million.

Yet, even while leaving his mark, transfer whispers incessantly swirled around him. Come 2010, he found himself off to Chelsea, where, unfortunately, a stubborn Achilles tendon injury dimmed his sparkle.

A series of loans to Arsenal, West Ham, and finally, QPR followed. Though he still had the Midas touch in front of goal, pitch time became a luxury, and it was at Liverpool we saw him at his best.

Wrapping things up, it's clear that leaving Liverpool is no ordinary exit. Anfield, with its storied history and that spine-tingling Kop chorus offers a football experience that's hard to replicate. Some ex-Reds have struck gold elsewhere, no doubt. But for others, the grass hasn't been as green as they’d hoped.

It begs the question: Do players know what they're leaving behind when they say farewell to those iconic gates? Whether driven by ambition, money, or a quest for new challenges, there's always that lurking thought – could there be a hint of regret?

One thing's for certain, in the heart-fluttering, roller-coaster world of football: departing from Anfield is a decision that leaves a mark. So, to all those who once donned the legendary red jersey – whether they admit it or not – a piece of their heart will always beat for Liverpool.