Liverpool's five worst January transfers of all time

Cameron Smith

• 3 Feb 2025 23:30 CST
• 4 min read

Liverpool have largely been successful when operating in the January transfer window, with the Reds often picking up bargain moves mid-season.

However, a number of signings haven’t quite worked out over the years.

Below, FootballTransfers runs through Liverpool’s five worst January transfers of all time.

READ MORE: Liverpool's five most expensive January transfers of all time

Mark Kennedy - €2.1m (from Millwall, 1995)

A Millwall academy graduate, Mark Kennedy joined Liverpool for €2.1m in 1995 after an impressive breakout onto the senior stage.

Kennedy played just 20 first-team games for the Reds and after a loan spell at QPR, he was sold to Wimbledon in 1998.

READ MORE: Liverpool's five best January transfers of all time

Rigobert Song - €3.7m (from Salernitana, 1999)

Rigobert Song spent just six months at Salernitana, following a move from Metz, before Liverpool opted to bring him to England for a fee of €3.7m.

He made 18 Premier League appearances during his first full season at the club, but that number diminished to just three during the first few months of his second campaign and he was sold to West Ham in November 2000.

Abel Xavier - €1.2m (from Everton, 2002)

Abel Xavier crossed the Merseyside divide when he left Everton to join Liverpool for €1.2m in January 2002.

The Portugal defender wasn’t a guaranteed starter during his time at Goodison Park and his fortunes failed to improve at Anfield.

Xavier made just 21 first-team appearances for the Reds, and he was loaned to Galatasaray before joining Hannover on a free transfer in 2004.

Andy Carroll - €41m (from Newcastle, 2011)

Liverpool signed two strikers to replace Fernando Torres and the results were remarkably different. Luis Suarez excelled, while Andy Carroll certainly didn’t.

Carroll registered 11 goals and eight assists during the first half of the 2010-11 Premier League season, and he became Liverpool’s most expensive transfer of all time upon his arrival.

The Englishman wasn’t a totally horrific signing, but with 11 goals in 58 games for the club, he failed to justify Liverpool’s huge outlay and he was sold to West Ham United for €17.5m in 2013.

Marko Grujic - €7m (from Red Star Belgrade, 2016)

Marko Grujic joined Liverpool for €7m in 2016, but he made just 16 appearances for the Reds across a six-and-a-half year spell at the club.

The Serbian midfielder was sent out on loan six times during his time at Anfield and he was a fairly pointless signing due to the strength of Liverpool’s midfield throughout the late 2020s.