The top 12 biggest Liverpool transfer disappointments
![19 Mar 2002: Jari Litmanen of Liverpool celebrates after scoring the first goal with a penalty during the Liverpool v AS Roma UEFA Champions League, Group B match at Anfield, Liverpool. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images 19 Mar 2002: Jari Litmanen of Liverpool celebrates after scoring the first goal with a penalty during the Liverpool v AS Roma UEFA Champions League, Group B match at Anfield, Liverpool. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/d95882122e216f4d03b18d781da856876a98c2e1bf8e54661f8ee8f56e7edab8.jpg)
Jari Litmanen
Finnish striker Jari Litmanen emerged out of the Netherlands as one of the best players in the world, yet when he left Liverpool he was a shadow of his former self.
Litmanen moved to Barcelona on a free transfer before the Reds finally signed him at the third time of asking, but an ankle injury meant Gerard Houllier was reluctant to play the Finn.
After just two seasons at the club, he moved back to Ajax after played 43 times across both campaigns. Strangely, Houllier had praised him to the hilt upon signing Litmanen, but then hardly played him.
This one could have turned out so differently had the forward been managed a bit better, but we’l never know.