On this day (July 9) in 2003, Liverpool signed Australian winger Harry Kewell from Leeds United.
The then 24-year-old joined the Reds for £5million on a five-year contract (BBC), having scored 57 goals and assisted another 13 for the Yorkshire club.
Brought to Anfield by the late, great Gerard Houllier, Kewell immediately took the heralded number seven shirt vacated by Vladimir Smicer.
Twitter: On this day…
July 9, 2003, @HarryKewell joined #LFC
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Despite arriving with plenty of promise and expectation, things didn’t quite go as planned on Merseyside for the Aussie after making a bright start.
Kewell scored 11 and registered another 11 assists in 49 outings in a debut 2003/04 season for the club before adding just another 14 goal contributions in the next 98 appearances.
A surprise inclusion in Rafa Benitez’ starting lineup in the 2005 UEFA Champions League final against AC Milan, Kewell lifted the trophy on a remarkable night after coming off after 23 minutes, adding an FA Cup a year later.
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Overall Kewell’s time with Liverpool won’t be remembered particularly fondly, especially due to the inauspicious involvement in Istanbul.
Signed as a player with an abundance of talent and having already proved himself in the English top-flight, ultimately the Australian icon failed to deliver for the Reds.
Capped 56 times by the Southern Hemisphere nation and with 499 domestic games to boot, the winger certainly enjoyed a superb career.
