Liverpool’s No. 10 shirt has a new occupant, but which of the seven players who went before him wore it best?
Alexis Mac Allister has become the Reds’ first signing of the summer in a deal worth as little as £35 million.
In doing so, the Argentine has taken on one of the club’s most iconic numbers and will follow in the footsteps of some of Liverpool’s greatest-ever players.
Seven Reds have worn the No. 10 jersey in the Premier League era and it is fair to say there have been mixed fortunes between them during their respective careers.
Having previously been reserved for forward players, the shirt is now more commonly associated with attacking midfielders.
But as you will notice from our list, players in a variety of positions have been handed the honour at the Reds in recent seasons.
Here, we rank all seven of the Liverpool players to have worn the No. 10 in the Premier League. Let us know if you think we’ve got it right!
Note: Rankings based solely on each player’s Liverpool career during the Premier League era – when squad numbers were introduced.
7. Andriy Voronin, 2007-10
It is reasonable to suggest that the Ukrainian’s Liverpool career didn’t pan out quite as he would have hoped.
His time on Merseyside yielded just six goals, all of which coming in his first season, before he was eventually sold to Dynamo Moscow in January 2010.
6. Joe Cole, 2010-13
A Roy Hodgson free signing in the summer of 2010, Joe Cole arrived from Chelsea with big expectations among the Liverpool faithful.
His spell got off to the worst possible start when he received a red card on his league debut at home to Arsenal, and a disjointed first campaign eventually saw him consigned to a loan move to Lille.
Cole made 10 appearances upon his return before eventually making a January switch to his former club West Ham in 2013.
5. John Barnes, 1992-97
Had this list pre-dated the Premier League‘s inception, it is likely that John Barnes would be sitting at the top of the tree.
A 1987 Kenny Dalglish signing, Barnes hit double figures in each of his first four seasons but spent the majority of his time at Liverpool post-1992 operating from midfield.
He remained a crucial part of the club on and off the pitch despite fitness removing some of his attacking superpowers, helping Liverpool bring through a new generation of talent and assisting Stan Collymore’s iconic late winner in the 4-3 victory over Newcastle.
4. Luis Garcia, 2004-07
A name etched into the club’s folklore, Luis Garcia played an instrumental role in the journey to Istanbul during his first season at the Reds.
He was one of a number of Spaniards signed by new boss Rafa Benitez during the summer of 2004, and helped Liverpool on their way to a fifth European crown with a goal in each of the Champions League knockout rounds – including the infamous ‘ghost goal’ against Chelsea.
Garcia was the man for the big occasion, his stunner in the 2006 FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea another standout memory, and his popular song is still sung in bars and on terraces to this day.
3. Philippe Coutinho, 2013-18
It all ended on an unfortunately sour note, but Philippe Coutinho was a magician during his best days at Liverpool.
He was signed for just £8 million from Inter Milan and sold to Barcelona five years later for a mouthwatering £142 million, telling you all you need to know about the impact he made during his time at Anfield.
Goals against Man City in the 2013/14 title charge and 2016 League Cup final were among the Brazilian’s highlights, but his creative spark and linkups with compatriot Roberto Firmino will likely be what he is remembered most fondly for.
2. Michael Owen, 1998-04
Another player with immense talent who likely rues his departure on a daily basis, Michael Owen was a force of nature in the early stages of his career.
The academy graduate announced himself on the world scene with a sensational solo goal against Argentina at France ’98, but he had already proven to be deadly in a red shirt.
His Liverpool career ended with 158 goals in 297 appearances and after failing in his attempts to make his journey to Madrid a return trip, Owen eventually burned bridges with the Kop by signing for Man United in 2009.
1. Sadio Mane, 2018-22
A tussle at the top that could truly have gone either way, Sadio Mane departed the club last summer as a genuine Liverpool great.
Having joined from Southampton in 2016 as one of Jurgen Klopp‘s first transformational signings, the Senegalese didn’t acquire the No. 10 shirt until two years later.
Mane scored 120 goals in 269 games for the Reds and picked up every available major honour in an Anfield career that surpassed the wildest of expectations.
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