When Liverpool announced the £2.5m signing of Sami Hyypia from Willem II in the summer of 1999, you could have forgiven some Reds fans for being a little underwhelmed. The big Finn was far from a household name, but he would grow into one of the best centre-backs in Premier League history. He fitted into Gerard Houllier's side almost immediately, forming a superb partnership with Stephane Henchoz at the back and making Liverpool the hardest team to break down in the country. He won a cup treble in 2000/01, and was colossal throughout the campaign. In 2002, his brilliant performances were rewarded with the awarding of the captaincy by Houllier. Hyypia continued to be brilliantly consistent, and produced numerous faultless performances as Liverpool won the 2005 Champions League. He scored a vital goal against Juventus in the quarter-finals too. He won the FA Cup a year later. The Finn's time on Merseyside finally came to an end in 2009, having spent a decade at Anfield, and his tears following his final game showed just how much the club meant to him. The fans still idolise him to this day, and he is easily of Liverpool's finest ever defenders.
