I spent a few hours on this today, I'd be interested in everyone's thoughts *awaits the slating*.
Rafa Benitez approximate net spend (per position) on 1st team squad since he’s been in charge of Liverpool FC. This list does not include players inherited that are still playing (e.g. Gerrard). All figures are rounded to nearest £500,000 (mistakes are possible) and for each player you can see the price Rafa paid (if he bought the player) and the price he sold each player for (if they've been sold).
The goal of this article is to highlight how Benitez took a poor squad and bought and sold in and effort to trade up each position within the confines of his transfer budget.
Each section contains a personal assessment of Benitez success or failure in the transfer market based on an overall assessment of each player’s form, recent form and their potential for the future.
Keepers
Jerzy Dudek
-
0
Chris Kirkland
-
3,500,000
Jose Reina
6,000,000
-
Diego Cavalieri
4,000,000
-
Scott Carson
500,000
4,000,000
2004 – Dudek, Kirkland
2005 – Reina, Carson, Kirkland
2006 – Reina, Carson, Kirkland
2007 – Reina. Carson
2008 – Reina, Cavalieri
Net spend: 3m
Assessement: In 2004, we had a keeper prone to mistakes and a keeper who was promising but continually injured. Now, we have a world class keeper who has won the previous three golden glove awards and an understudy who has shown himself to be capable in only a handful of games for the club. Overall, at a cost of 3m, this is very good business.
Centre backs
Sami Hyypia
-
0
Stephane Henchoz
-
0
Gabriel Paletta
2,000,000
0
Mauricio Pellegrino
0
0
Daniel Agger
5,500,000
-
Martin Skrtel
6,500,000
-
2004 – Hyypia, Henchoz
2005 – Hyypia, Henchoz/Pellegrino
2006 – Hyypia, Agger, Paletta
2007 – Hyypia, Agger, Skrtel, Paletta
2008 – Hyypia, Agger, Skrtel
Net spend: 14m
Assessement: In 2004, we had three very slow centre-backs, two who were showing their age and none of whom would be classed as ball players. Now, we have three centre-backs, two who are very young and quicker than their predecessors, one of which is a good ball player and both of whom have proven their class. Replacing two centre-backs for 14m is good value, especially when their value has now likely risen.
Right back
Steve Finnan
-
0
Jose Miguel Gonzalez Rey (Josemi)
2,000,000
0
Jan Kromkamp
0
2,000,000
Alvaro Arbeloa
2,500,000
-
Philipp Degen
0
-
2004 – Finnan, Josemi
2005 – Finnan, Josemi
2006 – Finnan, Josemi/Kromkamp
2007 – Finnan, Arbeloa
2008 – Arbeloa, Degen
Net spend: 2.5m
Assessement: From 2004 – 2007 we had established RB who was solid and dependable, but not exceptional and limited in attack. Many players were bought to challenge Finnan and only age eventually forced Finnan to leave the club, having been replaced by an almost identical player in Arbeloa. Replacing one player with another of equal ability for 2.5m is good business, but it’s obvious we’re still looking for a better player here. Doubtless this is down to availability, priority and price.
Left Back
Djimi Traore
-
2,000,000
John Arne Riise
-
4,000,000
Stephen Warnock
-
1,000,000
Fabio Aurelio
0
-
Emiliano Insua
January 2007
0
-
Andrea Dossena
7,500,000
-
2004 – Riise, Traore, Warnock
2005 – Riise, Traore, Warnock
2006 – Riise, Warnock, Aurellio
2007 – Riise, Aurellio
2008 – Aurellio, Dossena, Insua
Net spend: 0.5m
Assessement: In 2004, we had a solid if unexceptional selection of LBs. None set the world alight and one was prone to severe lapses of concentration. While our current collection of LBs includes a 7.5m player who has yet to prove himself, the other two were both signed for free and are better players than those they have replaced. At a total cost of 0.5m that is great business. How Dossena plays next season or how much we recoup for him if sold will determine if that view changes.
Right wing
Antonio Nunez
0
2,000,000
El Hadji Diouf
-
3,500,000
Luis Garcia
6,000,000
4,000,000
Dirk Kuyt
9,000,000
-
Jermaine Pennant
6,500,000
0
Djibril Cisse
-
6,000,000
Yossi Benayoun
5,000,000
-
2004 – Nunez, Garcia, Diouf, Cisse
2005 – Garcia, Cisse
2006 – Garcia, Pennant
2007 – Benayoun, Kuyt, Pennant
2008 – Kuyt, Benayoun, El Zhar
Net spend: £11m
Assessement: Both flanks have been a constant source of transfer frustration, with many players having tried their hands in the role. However, it’s clear to see that the selection of players we have in the role now is significantly superior to those who started Benitez reign. With Kuyt now firmly established in the role and Benayoun as primary cover, a 11m net spend seems quite high, but in Kuyt and Benayoun we have two match winners on the right, who provide plenty of goals and assists. They might not be out and out wingers, but after their performances season, would you swap them? It's not all roses though, Pennant was bought out of necessity rather than desire and we've lost a reasonable chunk of change on him.
Left Wing
Vladimir Smicer
-
0
Harry Kewell
-
0
Boudewijn Zenden
0
0
Mark Gonzalez
1,500,000
3,500,000
Ryan Babel
11,500,000
-
Albert Riera
8,000,000
-
Sebastian Leto
2,500,000
-
2004 – Smicer, Kewell
2005 – Kewell, Zenden
2006 – Kewell, Zenden, Gonzalez
2007 – Kewell, Babel
2008 – Babel, Riera
Net spend: 20m
Assessement: If RW has proved a problem for Rafa, LW has been the bane of his life. In 2004, Rafa was lumbered with two injury prone, but talented LWs. Today, he’s got a solid, strong and skilful first choice, with an expensive young understudy who has failed to make his mark and seems unwilling to adapt. At a net spend of 20m, you have to be critical, but Babel is still young and even if we were to sell him, we should recover a large portion of his cost. The jury is still out on him, but so far he’s an expensive flop.
Central Midfield
Danny Murphy
-
2,500,000
Igor Biscan
-
0
Dietmar Hamann
-
0
Alou Diarra
-
2,000,000
Danny Guthrie
-
2,000,000
Xabi Alonso
10,500,000
-
Mohammed Sissoko
5,500,000
8,000,000
Lucas Leiva
6,500,000
-
Javier Mascherano
20,000,000
-
2004 – Alonso, Hamman, Biscan
2005 – Alonso, Hamman, Sissoko
2006 – Alonso, Sissoko, Guthrie
2007 – Alonso, Sissoko, Mascherano, Leiva
2008 – Alonso, Mascherano, Leiva
Net spend: 30.5m
Assessement: Liverpool’s midfield in 2004 had no depth, with the understudies for the positions being laughably poor. However, the first choice players were certainly more than capable at the time. Over the next five years Benitez has restructured the team and formation, replacing players as they’ve aged or because of loss of form. He’s broken the bank to buy one of the world’s best holding midfielders and spent a significant sum bringing the exceptional Alonso to the club and supported them with the Brazillian U20 captain. Although the latter has yet to make his mark, he’s shown plenty of promise and is thought of very highly by his team mates. 30.5m is a very significant amount of money, but pound for pound when compared to similar purchases by other clubs, Benitez has spent at least as well as his peers in this position. The jury is out on Lucas, but 6.5m for a young squad player who has captained his national team is a good price. Time will tell.
Strikers/Support Strikers
Michael Owen
-
8,000,000
Milan Baros
-
6,500,000
Peter Crouch
7,000,000
11,000,000
Fernando Morientes
5,500,000
3,000,000
Craig Bellamy
6,000,000
7,500,000
Neil Mellor
-
500,000
Robbie Fowler
0
0
Florent Sinama-Pongolle
-
2,500,000
Andriy Voronin
0
-
Fernando Torres
20,000,000
-
Robbie Keane
20,000,000
15,000,000
David Ngog
1,500,000
-
2004 – Baros, Cisse, Sinama-Pongolle, Mellor, Morientes
2005 – Crouch, Cisse, Morientes, Fowler, Sinama-Pongolle, Mellor
2006 – Couch, Kuyt, Bellamy, Fowler, Sinama-Pongolle
2007 – Crouch, Torres, Voronin, Kuyt
2008 – Torres, Kuyt, Ngog, Babel
Net spend: 6m
Assessement: In 2004 we had a collection of average strikers. Now, we have a world class striker. However, with the misstep of signing and then selling Keane, the 6m net spend highlights our current lack of depth in this position. Rafa didn’t buy Keane, but has since been proven right in selling him, even though the whole farce has likely cost Liverpool 5m. However, it’s obvious that the money will be reinvested, and until a replacement for Keane is bought and assessed, it’s hard to truly judge Rafa here, but certainly the purchase of Torres was a masterstroke and the purchase of Keane was a collective cock up.
