“Stay here and they will end up building a statue in your honour. Go somewhere else, to Barcelona, to Bayern Munich, to Real Madrid, and you will be just another player. Here you can be something more.”
Jurgen Klopp’s prophetic warning to Philippe Coutinho when the Brazilian was flirting with a move to Barcelona during the 2017/18 season has been repeated countless times over the years. But it hasn’t stopped players from departing Liverpool and seeking pastures new.
Since the German first uttered such words, his Reds side have won every major honour on offer to them. This year launching his ‘Liverpool 2.0’ side, those that remain at Anfield, flanked by exciting, young players, will be looking to lift such prizes again.
But over the years, a number of star players who contributed to such success have left the Reds behind. It has not taken them long to realise that the grass isn’t greener.
Be it La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, or Ligue 1, a plethora of trusted Klopp lieutenants have struggled to recreate such heights after leaving Liverpool behind. And with the lucrative Saudi Pro League the newly-popular destination of choice, former Reds captain Jordan Henderson has become the latest player to be left with regrets about his decision to walk out at Anfield.
The 33-year-old opted to join Al-Ettifaq in a £12m deal last summer, reuniting with Steven Gerrard in the process, after being left unimpressed at the reality that he would not start as much under Klopp in 2023/24 with Liverpool in the midst of an £150m midfield revamp.
He was on the receiving end of plenty of backlash for making such a move to Saudi Arabia, considering his vocal stance as an ally of the LGBTQ+ community. Yet six months on, Henderson wants to quit Al-Ettifaq after failing to settle in the Middle East, with his side stuck in mid-table in the Saudi Pro League and regularly competing in front of non-league size crowds.
Of course, the England international isn’t the only player to have just enjoyed the best of times after leaving the Reds behind. So we take a look at 10 stars who shone under Klopp at Anfield, only to end up struggling elsewhere…
Jordan Henderson to Al-Ettifaq, £12m, July 2023
Fabinho to Al-Ittiahd, £40m, July 2023
Roberto Firmino to Al-Ahli, Free, June 2023
Naby Keita to Werder Bremen, Free, June 2023
Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich, £27.5m, June 2022
Sadio Mane wanted a new challenge when he left Liverpool for Bayern Munich, but a managerial change swiftly saw him fall out of favour in Germany. He’d score only seven Bundesliga goals and was sold to Al-Nassr after just one season as Bayern replaced him with Harry Kane.
Divock Origi to AC Milan, Free, June 2022
Divock Origi joined Serie A champions AC MIlan on a free transfer when his Liverpool contract expired but would score only twice in Italy. He was discarded on loan to Nottingham Forest after just one season at the San Siro.
Xherdan Shaqiri to Lyon, £9.5m, August 2021
Xherdan Shaqiri joined Lyon in search of starting opportunities when leaving Liverpool but quickly fell out of favour in France. Losing his place, he was on the move again when he joined MLS side Chicago Fire after just half-a-season.
Gini Wijnaldum to PSG, Free, July 2021
Gini Wijnaldum joined PSG on a free transfer when his Liverpool contract expired, but proved to be a big-money flop in France. Loaned to AS Roma after just one season, he was sold to Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia last summer.
Emre Can to Juventus, Free, July 2018
Emre Can opted to join Juventus on a free transfer rather than sign a new contract at Liverpool, but his time in Turin quickly unravelled. Unwanted after his first season following a managerial change, he was left out of the Old Lady’s Champions League squad and started just twice in Serie A before being sent on loan to Borussia Dortmund.
Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona, £142m, January 2018
Philippe Coutinho was desperate to leave Liverpool when Barcelona made their interest known and eventually departed in a club-record £142m deal. His career has unravelled ever since as the Catalans looked to offload him after just 18 months. Sent on loan to Bayern Munich, they opted against signing him permanently as he was consigned to another 18 months on the fringes at Camp Nou before moving to Aston Villa. Now on loan in Dubai after being deemed surplus to requirements by new manager Unai Emery.
