During the 03/04 season, on-loan Fernando Morientes was one of the fearsome goal-poachers on the continent. With nine goals in 12 Champions League appearances, the Monaco forwards goals helped to knock out Deportivo la Coruna, parent club Real Madrid and Chelsea on the way to finishing runners-up to Jose Mourinhos FC Porto. At the close of the season, the Spanish international was instantly linked with a host of top clubs, with Real Madrid already readying bids for the likes of Michael Owen. This is why it came as such a shock when the ferocious goal-getter arrived in the Premier League, not with the Premier Leagues elite, but with Champions League-chasing Liverpool. Not only was the agreed fee of £6.3 million ridiculously low, considering the rumoured £20 million Arsenal bid that had been running through the media, but the fact that Liverpool were languishing behind cross-city rivals Everton in the race for the coveted fourth spot surely worked against them.
''I want to play and I had several offers, but I think the best for me and my family was Liverpools. I am happy for that reason, but sad because it has been eight years here at Madrid and I will never forget them. This is a new stage in my life and I am excited about it. - Fernando Morientes, January 2005.
As it happens, the Spanish international failed to settle at the club, scoring just 12 goals in 60 outings for the Merseyside outfit, before being shipped back to Spain after 18 pitiful months. Still, if nothing else, it was a morale-boosting signal of intent for the Reds during a difficult campaign.
Recent Journalism & New Media graduate. Insatiable thirst for all things football, and hopes to break into the field of sports journalism in the near future.
Have made a significantly insignificant playing career out of receiving several slaps around the head for not passing the ball.
