Liverpool FC: 5 Players the Reds Failed to Replace

It's the worst kept secret in football that Luis Suarez is far from happy with life at Liverpool, and with Real Madrid declaring a serious interest in the controversial Uruguayan, his turbulent time at Anfield could well be coming to an end.

The exit of 30-goal Suarez will leave a gap in the Liverpool side as big as the Mersey Tunnel and—coupled with the departure of the retiring Jamie Carragher—it is vital that the Reds act quickly in the transfer market to avoid being left even further behind the top four.

During the '70s and '80s, Liverpool had a history of replacing one world class player with another. Kevin Keegan was replaced by Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush by John Aldridge.

With the exception of Fernando Torres, the Reds have failed dramatically at replacing key players during the Premier League era.

Read on to discover the five stand-out players Liverpool have failed to replace during the Premier League era.

Just Missed the Cut: John Arne Riise

As always, there are those that just missed out, and top of that list is John Arne Riise.

The versatile Norwegian was mostly deployed at left-back, and since he left the club in 2008, it has become a somewhat problem position for a number of Liverpool managers.

Fabio Aurelio was always the most likely to replace Riise, however injuries cut short his Liverpool career.

Andreas Dossena, Emiliano Insua and Paul Konchesky have all attempted to make the position their own, but none of them convinced.

Jose Enrique looks like the brightest prospect since Riise's departure. Like Riise, Enrique is quick, powerful and a huge threat going forward.

Now at Fulham, Riise is always guaranteed a warm reception from the Anfield faithful whenever he returns, even if they do still want to know how he scored this goal.

Sami Hyypia

One of the finest defenders ever to wear the Liverpool shirt.

After a decade at the heart of the Reds' defence, Sami Hyypia decided to seek pastures new in the summer of 2009 when he left Liverpool to join German side Bayer Leverkusen.

The then-35-year-old wished to prolong his playing career rather than take up the coaching role offered to him by Rafa Benitez at Anfield, and he left with the best wishes of everyone at the club.

The exit of Hyypia does not stand out in the minds of Liverpool fans until the void he left is analysed.

Joint captain of the 2001 treble-winning side and a 2005 UEFA Champions League winner, he also played a major role in the side that set a club record of 11 consecutive clean sheets during the 2005/06 season, playing every minute of all 11 games.

Liverpool had finished second at the end of Hyypia's final season in 2009, losing only two league games along the way.

The start of the 2009/10 season was a different story, however. Benitez's side were beaten twice in the their first three games and looked a shambles defensively.

The problem remained throughout the season. Injuries to Daniel Agger and the inconsistent form of Martin Skrtel meant that Hyypia was sorely missed. Even the ever-reliable Carragher struggled for form.

The Reds haven't really had a regular centre-back pairing since, with both Carragher and Agger, as well as Skrtel and Agger failing to convince as a partnership.

The former Reds captain made 464 appearances during his time at Anfield, weighing in with a highly credible 35 goals. More impressively, most Liverpool fans would agree that the amount of bad games Hyypia had could be counted on one hand.

Steve McManaman

The departure of Steve McManaman to Real Madrid in 1999 is one that left a sour taste in the mouths of most Liverpool fans.

Blessed with electrifying pace and the ability to beat a man at will, McManaman lit up Anfield in the mid-to-late '90s with his mazy runs and fabulous solo goals, something the fans hadn't witnessed since the early days of John Barnes.

McManaman's move to Madrid was showered in controversy as he became the first high-profile British player to take advantage of the Bosman ruling that allowed a player to sign for another club on a free transfer once their contract had ended.

For this, the Liverpool fans have never really forgiven him. They were loathe to lose a player—a local lad, at that—who was an integral part of a side managed by Roy Evans that played some of the most exciting attacking football Anfield had seen since the days of Barnes and Peter Beardsley.

Until the arrival of Luis Suarez in January 2011, the Reds failed to unearth anybody who could match McManaman's ability to run at the opposition, and through sheer skill, pace and trickery, leave them in their wake.

His success at Madrid—becoming a two-time winner of La Liga and the UEFA Champions League—further demonstrates the level of quality Liverpool missed following "Macca's" departure.

Nicolas Anelka

A somewhat surprise inclusion, perhaps.

Nicolas Anelka brought with him to Anfield the reputation of a "bad boy." After demanding a move away from Arsenal in 1999, he upset the hierarchy at Real Madrid and found himself back at Paris-Saint Germain, where he started his career.

Anelka joined Liverpool on loan from Paris Saint-Germain in late 2001 as a replacement for Kop idol Robbie Fowler, who had joined Leeds United.

With Anelka on board, Liverpool recorded their then-best ever Premier League finish, ending the 2001/02 season second behind eventual champions Arsenal.

When the loan agreement between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain expired following the season's end, it appeared a formality to all that Reds manager, Gerard Houllier, would make the deal permanent.

However, during the now infamous summer of 2002, Liverpool fans hoped for Anelka and Damien Duff, but instead they were presented with El-Hadji Diouf, Salif Diao and Bruno Cheyrou.

By the turn of the year the following season, Liverpool's title challenge was all but over.

Diao and Cheyrou were peripheral figures, and whilst Diouf brought with him Anelka's "bad boy" antics, he unfortunately couldn't match his ability on the pitch.

Anelka instead moved to Manchester City and finished as their leading goalscorer, whilst Liverpool failed to qualify for the Champions League.

Michael Owen

Reds fans won't like to admit it, but between 2004 and 2007, Michael Owen was sorely missed.

Yes, they won the Champions League and FA Cup, but their league form was, at times, shaky.

Liverpool had always had a top-class goalscorer. Always. Roger Hunt, Ian Rush and Robbie Fowler to name a few.

Then there was Owen.

The bigger the occasion, the better he performed.

His two late goals against Arsenal single-handedly won the FA Cup in 2001, and his 158 goals in 297 appearances is up there with the likes of Liverpool legends Roger Hunt and Ian Rush.

However, days before the start of the 2004/05 season and just weeks after stating his intention to sign a new long-term contract with the club, Owen—just like Steve McManaman five years earlier—found the lure of Real Madrid too difficult to turn down.

The fact that Owen only had a year of his current deal left meant that the Reds received just £8m from the La Liga giants, for a player who only three years earlier had been named European Footballer of the Year.

Milan Baros, Djibril Cisse and Fernando Morientes all tried and failed to fill Owen's boots during the 2004/05 season, however all three failed to reach double figures in the league.

Peter Crouch and Dirk Kuyt fared slightly better in the seasons that followed, but neither were prolific. It wasn't until Fernando Torres' arrival in 2007 that Liverpool once again boasted a striker who struck fear into opposing defences.

His choice of career move after leaving Real Madrid—and later Newcastle United—means that Owen's relationship with those that once adored him has been somewhat soured.

That aside, those that adored him are those that missed him.

Xabi Alonso

If ever Liverpool had a better passer of a football, I am yet to see him.

One of Rafa Benitez's earliest and arguably most important signings as Liverpool manager saw Xabi Alonso arrive at Anfield from Real Sociedad in the summer of 2004.

What followed were five seasons of sublime, inch-perfect passing and a midfield partnership with Steven Gerrard that left Liverpool fans salivating.

Alonso was a midfield maestro.

He will be mostly remembered for scoring the third and equalising goal in the dramatic UEFA Champions League Final comeback of 2005, missing a penalty but converting the rebound.

Moving to 2009, Rafa Benitez's side had just finished second in the Premier League and had made the quarter-finals of the Champions League, eliminating Madrid 5-0 over two legs in the second round.

Alonso had had his best season yet.

Again, it was Real Madrid who broke Liverpool fans' hearts when they offered the popular Spaniard the chance to return to his homeland.

Alberto Aquilani was brought in from AS Roma to replace Alonso, however, the Italian struggled for form and fitness and started only nine games during his debut season.

It is a testament to the impact Alonso's departure had on Liverpool that they have somewhat fallen by the wayside since he left the club. The Reds have failed to qualify for the Champions League in the four seasons since, and have changed managers on three occasions.

The slightest hint of a possible Anfield return gets Liverpool fans pulses racing. But as I write this, it's hard to envisage.

However, stranger things have happened, and if he did return, he would without doubt be guaranteed a hero's welcome.