Gérard Houllier’s 40 Liverpool signings ranked and rated – who’s the worst?

Igor Biscan // Dynamo Zagreb // £5,500,000

Igor Biscan had a weird career at Liverpool, and pretty much characterised the whole spectrum of potential signing outcomes.

He started badly, went through the managerial change from Houllier to Benitez, re-invented himself and left as a bit of a cult hero.

With just 44 appearances in his first three seasons, Biscan then propelled himself into the realms of Important First Team Player as he played 74 times in his following (and last) two campaigns.

After starting the last 16, quarter, semi-final of that historic Champions League run, the Croatian was benched in the final. After signing for a modest fee, Biscan hauled himself up by his bootstraps to become a cult figure who enjoyed a fairly good level of success.

Rating: 6/10

Djimi Traore //Laval // £550,000

Djimi Traoré is another cult hero, who somehow managed to play all 120 minutes of the 2005 Champions League final and emerged out of his Anfield career with a European winner’s medal around his neck.

But things weren’t always happy for Traore at the club. Again, it took Benitez arriving on Merseyside to kick-start his career as the defender was featured at left-back to accommodate Sami Hyypia and Carragher.

The French-born Mali international played 141 games as Liverpool persisted with him from 1998-2006, but it become clear that he wasn’t really up to the standard Benitez required and was sold to Charlton Athletic.

This was a mixed transfer, but the low fee and the fact that he still managed to play nearly 150 times for the club and was a part of that victorious 2005 side means Traore will always be thought of warmly.

Rating: 6/10