Lavia next? The last eight players Liverpool signed from relegated teams & how they fared

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Leicester, UK. 15th May 2023. Andy Robertson of Liverpool gestures during the Premier League match between Leicester City and Liverpool at the King Power Stadium, Leicester on Monday 15th May 2023.

Planet Football
5th June 2023

Liverpool have made some high-profile signings in recent times, but they have also discovered a handy habit of picking up gems from relegated clubs.

The Reds are now being heavily linked with a move for Southampton’s Romeo Lavia. The teenage midfielder impressed during the 2022-23 campaign and could be another savvy signing for Liverpool.

We’ve looked at the last eight Liverpool players who were signed immediately after suffering relegation from the Premier League to see how they fared at Anfield.

Xherdan Shaqiri

Shaqiri was part of the Stoke City side that endured an awful campaign in 2017-18, culminating in their relegation from the top flight.

But the winger was handed a Premier League lifeline by Liverpool after they triggered the £13mllion release clause in his contract.

He mostly had to settle for a bit-part role at Anfield, playing understudy to the formidable front three of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino.

“Not for a second have I regretted the move to Liverpool,” Shaqiri told Schweizer-Illustrierte in October 2019. “Many wrote me off in Stoke, but who can claim to have switched directly from a relegated side to a Champions League winner?”

Andy Robertson

Despite being relegated with Hull City in 2016-17, Robertson did enough to impress Jurgen Klopp and earn an £8million move to Liverpool.

The Scotland international has since developed into one of the best left-backs in the world, helping the club win seven trophies, including the Premier League and Champions League.

But more importantly, he’s also a wonderful sh*thouse.

READ: 6 times Andy Robertson was a superb sh*thouse: Suarez, Messi, Neymar

Georginio Wijnaldum

Eyebrows were raised when Liverpool paid a relegated Newcastle United £23million for Wijnaldum in the summer of 2016.

But the 29-year-old proved the doubters wrong under Jurgen Klopp, becoming an industrious all-rounder who often did the work that doesn’t get noticed.

He also played a crucial role in helping Liverpool lift the Champions League in 2019, coming off the bench at half-time to score two goals in as many minutes in the semi-final second leg against Barcelona.

Danny Ings

Following Burnley’s relegation from the Premier League and the expiry of his contract with the club, Ings moved to Liverpool in 2015.

But the striker found his time on Merseyside severely hampered by injury problems, making just 25 appearances for the Reds in all competitions.

After a productive loan spell, the 27-year-old joined Southampton on a permanent deal in 2019. After some solid years with Southampton and Aston Villa, he’s now turning out for West Ham.

Charlie Adam

Having been Blackpool’s most eye-catching performer in the club’s unsuccessful battle against relegation in 2010-11, Adam attracted interest from several Premier League clubs.

The midfielder completed a £6.75million move to Liverpool and was part of the side that won the League Cup against Cardiff City.

But he was unable to recreate his Blackpool form at Anfield, scoring just two goals in 37 appearances before joining Stoke City in 2012.

‘I should probably have stayed the season after and tried to work my way into the team. But I got itchy feet and I wanted to play,” Adam told the Daily Mail in 2013.

“A decision had to be made. I made the choice to go in the space of 24 hours and it probably wasn’t enough time to think it through properly.”

Jermaine Pennant

Pennant joined the Reds as a £6.7million signing from relegated Birmingham City in 2006 and had an impressive debut season at Anfield.

The winger played a key role in their run to the Champions League final in 2007 and was arguably their best player in the defeat to AC Milan.

He eventually fell out of favour under Rafa Benitez and was released by the Reds following the expiry of his contract in 2009, joining Real Zaragoza before returning to the Premier League with Stoke.

Peter Crouch

Despite scoring 12 league goals in 2004-05, Crouch couldn’t prevent Southampton’s relegation and was sold to Liverpool for £7million at the end of the season.

The striker endured a difficult start to his Liverpool career, failing to find the back of the net in his first 18 games for the club.

He finally got off the mark in December 2005 and went on to score another 41 goals over the next two and a half years, becoming a fan favourite in the process.

“The best period of my career came at Liverpool under Rafa Benitez,” Crouch told us in 2018. “I was scoring goals regularly in a side that was challenging in the Champions League and we had real chances to be crowned as European champions in the 2007 final against AC Milan.

“I scored eight Champions League goals that season and we deserved to be in that final, but it wasn’t to be. That is one of the big regrets of my career because that final was there for us and it slipped away.”