Luis Suarez
Whereas Torres had worn Liverpool FC's no.9 shirt, Uruguayan international striker Luis Suarez was handed the no.7 shirt by a man who used to wear it himself, manager Sir Kenny Dalglish. There was also a rather unusual link between Suarez and his new club.
Before joining the Reds, Suarez and his wife had named their daughter 'Delfina' – an anagram of Anfield. “It's a total coincidence, but a very nice one at the same time,” he said. “Maybe there was fate.”
Unpredictable, with an ability to go on mazy dribbles and score sensational goals, Suarez netted on his Anfield debut against Stoke City FC and showed in a 3-1 victory against Manchester United FC that he was also a creator of goals. Dirk Kuyt scored a hat-trick that day, with his opening goal coming after Suarez dribbled past four defenders and United's goalkeeper inside the penalty area.
He ended his first half-season as a Liverpool FC player with four goals and netted 17 in 2011/12, scoring against Everton FC in an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley and netting a brilliant hat-trick against Norwich City FC at Carrow Road. He also won a League Cup winners' medal and, just like Torres, had a catchy Kop song.
His name his Luis Suarez, he wears the famous Red – I just can't get enough, I just can't get enough. When he scores a volley, or when he scores a head – I just can't get enough, I just can't get enough. He scores a goal and the Kop goes wild and I just can't seem to get enough Suarez! Der der der der der der der, der der der der der der der, der der der der der der der, Luis Suarez!'
It was under the management of Brendan Rodgers, between 2012 and 2014, when Suarez truly thrived. In 2012/13 he struck 30 goals, 23 of them in the Premier League, including hat-tricks away to Norwich City FC (again!) and Wigan Athletic FC.
Suspension meant that Suarez missed the end of the season and the start of 2013/14, but when he did return to play in a strike partnership with Daniel Sturridge, he was in world-class form.
Suarez struck 31 Premier League goals in 33 games to win a vast array of individual honours. He was named as PFA Player of the Year, Football Writers' Footballer of the Year, Premier League Player of the Year and won the Premier League Golden Boot. He also shared the European Golden Boot with Real Madrid CF's Cristiano Ronaldo.
His 31 goals included four at home to Norwich City FC (again!) during a 5-1 victory. Suarez' performance that night is regarded as one of the finest individual displays ever witnessed at Anfield with his first-half treble making him the first Liverpool FC player to score three league hat-tricks against the same club.
The Uruguayan also claimed hat-tricks against West Bromwich Albion FC and Cardiff City FC in 2013/14 and scored in convincing victories against Everton FC (4-0) and at Manchester United FC (3-0) as the Reds narrowly missed out on winning the Premier League title.
His 82nd and final Liverpool FC goal came at Crystal Palace FC before, in the summer of 2014, he was sold to FC Barcelona while serving a four-month ban from football following an incident at the World Cup in Brazil. Incredibly, in three-and-a-half years at Anfield, he didn't miss a single game through injury.
Five years later, he returned to Anfield to play for FC Barcelona in last season's UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg – after scoring against the Reds as Barca won the first leg at Camp Nou 3-0. It wasn't a happy return.
Jürgen Klopp's Liverpool FC won 4-0 to reach the final in Madrid, but Suarez' status as a 20-goal-a-season striker for LFC will forever remain in the record books.
