Liverpool’s pulling power has arguably never been greater. They are closing in on adding the Premier League crown to their Champions League and Club World Cup titles.



Even Kylian Mbappe has been eulogising about the “machine” that Jurgen Klopp has created at Anfield. With records being broken on and off the pitch, Liverpool are in a position where they can attract world-class talent and retain it.



For most of the Premier League era that simply wasn’t the case. History is littered with examples of their targets slipping through the net and transfers collapsing at the 11th hour — some of those tales untold before today.



From a lack of financial clout to being outgunned by rivals offering better prospects of success, Liverpool have been used by agents and players to get improved contracts elsewhere and have pulled out of a number of deals due to concerns flagged up by medicals.



They have also made some spectacular errors of...