Jari Litmanen
Previous Clubs: Reipas Lahti, HJK Helsinki, MyPa-47, Ajax, Barcelona, Liverpool, Hansa Rostock, Malmo
Last Appearance in the Premiership: Tottenham 1-0 Liverpool, 27/04/2002
Considered Finland’s greatest-ever footballer, when Jari Litmanen joined Liverpool on a free transfer in January 2001, the 29-year-old was hailed as the final piece in Gerard Houllier’s Anfield jigsaw. A boyhood Reds fan, it seemed a marriage made in heaven, with Liverpool rescuing the player from his injury nightmare at Barcelona, and Litmanen tipped to help the club recapture past glories. And, despite suffering defeat on his debut in a League Cup semi-final first leg at Crystal Palace, Litmanen’s Premiership bow three days later was more successful, a 3-0 win at Aston Villa. But, shortly after helping Liverpool reach the first of three cup finals in their historic treble year in the 5-0 League Cup second-leg thrashing of Palace, injury struck again in a World Cup qualifier against England - ironically at Anfield. Litmanen’s return the following season was eagerly anticipated but the success of the Michael Owen-Emile Heskey double act severely limited his opportunities as Liverpool looked on course to add a first Premiership title to their burgeoning trophy haul. Even when the wheels fell off the Reds' title bid mid-season, Litmanen’s almost unmatched vision and creativity were rarely called upon by a myopic management, despite many fans seeing the Finn as the player to provide a much-needed link between midfield and attack. The manager clearly had other ideas and, almost inevitably, Litmanen was forced out of Anfield, finding sanctuary at former club Ajax days before the start of the following season. It was a sad end to the Premiership career of one of the most talented players of his generation, one who seemed to have football in his blood, with both his father and mother more than useful players themselves. Aged 15, he followed in his parents’ footsteps by joining hometown club Reipas Lahti, where he spent four years before moving to HJK Helsinki and MyPa-47. By the time Ajax came in for him at the start of the 1992/93 season, he was already an established Finland international, but he was to help propel the Amsterdam club to domestic and European success not enjoyed in the Dutch capital for 20 years, including a hat-trick of league titles and a famous Champions League win in 1995. A host of European giants lined up to prise the recently-crowned third-best player in the world away from Amsterdam, a temptation he resisted for four more years before securing a dream move to Spanish giants Barcelona under former Ajax coach Louis van Gaal. But a series of serious injuries quickly turned the dream into a nightmare, and when Van Gaal departed, so did Litmanen’s chances of a place in the side. Liverpool offered what looked to be a perfect way out, before Ajax did the same, but not even the club he had served so well could ignore the persistent injury problems that threatened to end his career. After much speculation, Litmanen decided to return to Finland and his home town, Lahti, where it appeared he would end his career. But, out of the blue, in January 2005, Litmanen joined Bundesliga bottom club Hansa Rostock and then, in July 2005, moved to Malmo.
