Liverpool have confirmed the loan signing of Barcelona captain Ronald Araujo for the season. The £47m defender will hope to fare better than some of the Reds' previous temporary deals. Daily Star Sport has ranked and rated every loan signing made by the Merseyside club during the Premier League era, from all-time flops to world-class superstars.
Goalkeepers who never played
Mark Prudhoe came on loan from Stoke City as cover for David James and Michael Stensgaard in November 1994, but never played for the Reds. After retiring, he returned to Sunderland as an academy goalkeeping coach. England keeper Jordan Pickford credits him for helping set him on the path to playing for Everton.
Alec Chamberlain started his career with Sunderland before moving to Everton. He signed for Liverpool on loan from Stoke City towards the end of the 1994-95 season, again as understudy to James, after Stensgaard dislocated a shoulder in an ironing incident. Despite never playing a game, he collected a League Cup winner's medal as an unused substitute in the Coca-Cola Cup final win over Bolton Wanderers.
Mark Gayle, another journeyman goalkeeper signed on loan as cover in 1994, this time from Crewe Alexandra, did not play a game for the Reds. The ex-Walsall man later coached at clubs including Leamington.
Midfield misfires
Arthur Melo was brought in by Jurgen Klopp on transfer deadline day in the summer of 2022 as a stopgap signing on loan from Juventus, after the Reds failed to secure a new first-team midfielder. The injury-prone Brazil international played a total of 13 minutes in a 4-1 Champions League defeat at Napoli. Liverpool paid £4m in loan fees, which proved a complete waste of money.
Nuri Sahin, a Bundesliga title winner at Borussia Dortmund under Klopp, arrived on loan from Real Madrid in the summer of 2012. The deal was terminated after six months. Sahin scored three goals in 12 outings but was frustrated by Brendan Rodgers' decision to play him as a number 10. "I did not fail at Liverpool," he later insisted. "Brendan Rodgers wanted me to play as a number 10. But I do not play behind the strikers. It is not my real position... thank God I have left Brendan Rodgers." Klopp said Sahin was a "brilliant player", adding: "I don't know why Brendan Rodgers would do this."
Defensive disappointments and successes
Javier Manquillo arrived from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2014, but it appeared he had been targeted by head scout Barry Hunter and analyst Michael Edwards rather than manager Rodgers. The 20-year-old Spanish right-back never featured in the Premier League after December of his first and only season. Atletico took him back a year ahead of schedule.
Ozan Kabak was signed on loan from Schalke on deadline day in January 2021, with an option to buy for £18m. The Turkey international was not good enough and ended the season behind Nathaniel Phillips and Rhys Williams.
Javier Mascherano was one of the best defensive midfielders in the world, but found himself warming the bench at West Ham in 2006. In January 2007, Rafael Benitez swooped to sign the "monster of a player" on an 18-month loan. Playing alongside Xabi Alonso, Liverpool fans boasted they had "the best midfield in the world" as they reached the Champions League final. The Reds later signed him for £18.6m. He left for Barcelona for £20m in 2010, accusing Roy Hodgson of lying about him refusing to play and claiming senior figures at Liverpool had broken a prior promise to let him leave.
