Xabi Alonso
© Getty Images
The influx of Spanish players which followed Rafael Benitez's appointment at Liverpool was fairly hit and miss, but there is no doubt that in Xabi Alonso Liverpool landed a special player.
The central midfielder arrived from Real Sociedad for £10.5m in 2004, and by the end of his first season at the club he had scored the equalising goal in the 2005 Champions League final to complete Liverpool's incredible comeback against AC Milan.
Ranked by Steven Gerrard as the best midfielder he has played alongside, Alonso's time at Liverpool was sprinkled with moments of magic which included goals from inside his own half against Luton Town and Newcastle United in 2006.
In all, the World Cup winner scored 19 goals in 210 appearances for the Reds, helping the club to a second-place Premier League finish in 2008-09 alongside Gerrard and Javier Mascherano in midfield.
That proved to be his final year at the club as he joined Real Madrid for £30m in 2009 having won four trophies at Anfield, including the Champions League and the FA Cup.
 |
> | Top 25 Liverpool players of the Premier League era - #8 |
|
| < | Top 25 Liverpool players of the Premier League era - #10 |
Barney Corkhill
