Liverpool stars celebrate a goal in 2011
Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll joined Liverpool on a manic deadline day (Image: Mike Hewitt, Getty Images)
When discussing memorable and chaotic transfer deadline days, Liverpool's January 2011 saga is difficult to surpass. Last summer's window witnessed the Reds spend an eye-watering £400million, and there may be further activity on deadline day this year, but 2011's drama remains unmatched. A wave of hope swept through Anfield despite a disappointing first half of the 2010/11 season under Roy Hodgson, which left the Reds languishing in seventh place. Hodgson was sacked within months of his appointment, however, and club legend Kenny Dalglish was installed as manager on a temporary basis.
At board level, Fenway Sports Group, who continue to oversee operations today, had recently assumed control. But the upbeat mood was fleeting as reports emerged that Chelsea were chasing beloved striker Fernando Torres. Spanish frontman Torres, who had been magnificent following his 2007 arrival, was now considering a fresh challenge. Hamstring injuries and knee surgery in 2010 had stripped him of his blistering pace, leading to a dip in form, although he still managed 22 goals in 2009/10. Uncertainties arose over the popular player following the departure of manager Rafa Benitez, with whom Torres shared a close bond, alongside questions about the club's future ownership before FSG came on board. Torres offered supporters cause for optimism in August 2010, declaring: "My commitment and loyalty to the club and to the fans is the same as it was on my first day when I signed."
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Nevertheless, circumstances would rapidly alter. After Liverpool's slow start under Hodgson, Chelsea tested the waters with a £40million offer on January 27. Liverpool rejected that proposal, insisting their star striker was not up for sale, only for Torres to crush fans with a transfer request one day afterwards.
It wasn't until the final day of the window that Liverpool accepted a massive £50m bid which set a new British transfer record. Not only that, but the fee made Torres the sixth most expensive player in football history at that juncture.
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He signed a five-and-a-half-year deal with Chelsea, with some Liverpool fans unable to forgive him for switching to a direct competitor. The Reds had already been organising to secure a replacement late in the window, though, capturing Luis Suarez from Ajax at approximately 9pm on deadline day for what was then a club record £22.8m.
Carlo Ancelotti and Fernando Torres
Torres made the controversial switch to Chelsea (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
The Uruguayan alone wasn't deemed sufficient, with the Reds deciding a Premier League-proven striker was also necessary. Their club record lasted mere hours before the Andy Carroll joined from Newcastle in a stunning £35m deal in the dying moments of the window.
"It's a dream to be able to come and play here," said Suarez upon his arrival. "My ambitions for the future are to do my very best for Liverpool, to try to learn more about English football and to become a champion."
Meanwhile, Dalglish explained how Carroll could fit into the team following his impressive breakthrough at Newcastle that season: "He's a big lad but is very good on the deck as well, he has good feet, he's very strong in the air and he'll give us a bit of presence up front. He's a little bit different to what we've been used to but it won't change our principles and philosophies of how we want to play."
Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez
The Torres money was spent within hours (Image: John Powell, Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
In total, Premier League sides spent over £100m in a single day on those three strikers. Within a week, early indications of what was to come emerged as Suarez scored on his Liverpool debut against Stoke, Torres struggled in his first Chelsea appearance – a defeat to Liverpool – whilst Carroll remained sidelined with a thigh injury.
Despite scoring a crucial goal in the lead-up to Chelsea's 2012 Champions League final triumph, Torres' stint in west London didn't hit the heights most will have anticipated given the transfer fee. Carroll also found things tough after a hefty price tag, managing a mere 11 goals for Liverpool before moving to West Ham.
Suarez became the true heir to Torres at Anfield. The controversial striker would find the net 82 times in 133 appearances, including 31 in his final season, before sealing a high-profile move to Barcelona in 2014.