In the summer of 2006, a year after Uefa Champions League glory, Liverpool and then manager Rafa Benitez found themselves hit with transfer budget restrictions which resulted in Benitez having a tough decision to make.
Liverpool needed to add depth to the squad on the right wing, and had then Sevilla fullback Dani Alves on their radar, with a transfer very much on the cards. However, an unlikely candidate was chosen over the purchase of Alves.
Dirk Kuyt joined Liverpool from Feyenoord in the summer of 2006 for a reported €18million and Dani Alves remained at Sevilla for a further two seasons before making €35.5million move to Barcelona.
Speaking exclusively to the official Liverpool podcast, former manager Benitez revealed his reasoning behind the decision to sign Kuyt over Alves "We looked at Dani Alves, but he was a right full-back.
"So you have to make a decision, whether to sign a player who can play striker, second striker and right winger, or you can go for a full-back, Brazilian, playing in Spain to play as your right winger. It's a big risk.
"It was a really difficult time, but I was really pleased,"
LFCTR Verdict
I would feel Rafa made the correct decision, at the time the side had Steve Finnan at right back, who was perhaps one of the most under-rated players in the Premier League during his time on Merseyside
Also factoring in Rafa had the intentions to sign Alves as a right winger, it would be impossible to judge how this transfer would have materialized, given this was pre-Barcelona Alves, and also Alves would not have been signed for his natural position.
Kuyt went on to be a firm fan favourite at the club and often saved the club on many occasions, the dutchman also scored a goal in the Champions League final for the club, as well as a few big ones against Everton, it would be hard to of imagined life without the dutchman looking back.
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