Liverpool's transfer activity has been near flawless since Jurgen Klopp took the helm in 2015, with the German manager's philosophy neatly implemented by players targetted for their distinctive qualities and aptness in the high-octane, high-pressure system.
The likes of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Sadio Mane, and Fabinho – a list that is by no means exhaustive – have all been signed since the watershed moment of Klopp's arrival, with scant room for ineptitude under his sage stewardship.
The Premier League and Champions League titles have been claimed to signify one of the most prosperous and illustrious periods of the club's modern history, and while the 2022/23 campaign was one of great suffering for a sapped Anfield side, the summer transfer window has been used to comprehensively alter the midfield and restore life and energy to the fold.
Before this incredible chapter, misfires on the transfer front were something of normality, and Iago Aspas was among those to have struggled to integrate and swiftly moved on.
The Spanish gem's time at the club was fleeting and forgettable, but he has been in more than just fine fettle ever since and even outscored two starring Reds members last season.
How did Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz get on last season?
Yes, Aspas scored 12 times in the league last term to lead Celta Vigo to a successful conclusion, finishing 13th with 43 points, three above relegated Real Valladolid in 18th.
His tally was a mark of his consistency since leaving Liverpool, and his 12 league goals actually placed him above two salient Reds stars in Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz, though both were severely affected by injury issues.
Indeed, Aspas' return bettered Diaz's (five across all competitions) and Jota's (seven in total), though neither Liverpool forward reached 30 seasonal showings due to their setbacks, very much exacerbating the club's spiralling situation.
Regardless, Aspas is well into his thirties and really did leave little mark of his presence during his time at the club, and it is interesting to bear witness to his resurgence.
When did Liverpool sign Iago Aspas?
Liverpool completed the signing of Aspas in the summer of 2013 after agreeing a £9m fee with Celta Vigo, with the rising star's cutting edge having paid dividends in the Sky Blues' promotion to LaLiga and subsequent preservation of their top-flight status.
Rodgers was seeking to rebuild a Liverpool side that had languished below expectations for too long, and the firepower Aspas was expected to bring was valued as the perfect supplementation for an exciting frontline consisting of Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge, and the precocious teenager Raheem Sterling.
GK
Simon Mignolet
RB
Glen Johnson
CB
Kolo Toure
CB
Daniel Agger
LB
Jose Enrique
CM
Steven Gerrard
CM
Lucas Leiva
RW
Jordan Henderson
AM
Iago Aspas
LW
Philippe Coutinho
ST
Daniel Sturridge
Clearly, a lot has changed since the Spaniard's stint at the club, with Klopp's managerial appointment a little over two years on from Aspas' Premier League debut changing everything. Everyone knows of the effect that the German's tutelage has had.
And while Aspas played a part in a remarkable Reds campaign in 2013/14 that nearly saw an end to the long wait for the Premier League trophy, he only started five times in the Premier League (making 15 appearances across all competitions) and netted his lone strike for Liverpool in the FA Cup, against Oldham Athletic.
He would depart after his debut season in English football, never to return, and while many discarded him as a flop, he has since become a devastating, high-profile forward in Spain.
How good is Iago Aspas?
Ever since Aspas' Anfield departure, he has prospered in his homeland, enjoying a one-year loan spell with Sevilla directly following the end of his stay on English shores – scoring ten goals and supplying three assists from 25 matches across all competitions, though only two in LaLiga, having started four times.
The 20-cap Spain international – with six goals – then re-signed with Celta Vigo in a deal believed to be worth roughly €5m (£4m), and he has been a starring talisman for his long-time club ever since.
Indeed, having completed 467 appearances for Celta Vigo across the entirety of his career, scoring 196 goals and supplying 70 assists, Aspas is now the club captain and has been a prolific and consistent goalscorer in Spain's top-flight across the past several years.
Between 2017/18 and 2018/19, the 36-year-old scored 42 LaLiga goals from just 61 appearances, having reached double figures across every single season since joining the club again in 2015.
Now approaching the twilight phase of his career, the “special” – as he was praised by teammate Brais Mendez – £49k-per-week forward has yet to score this season but has supplied two assists from ten outings, and still very much offers a dynamic spread of skills.
As per FBref, the 5 foot 9 veteran ranks among the top 1% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 1% for progressive passes, the top 4% for passes attempted and the top 16% for progressive carries per 90.
Seemingly among the most underrated ball-playing strikers in Europe, Aspas' tenacity and age-belying athleticism has allowed him to prosper following his failed spell on Merseyside.
However, while it's a shame that he didn't tap into that talent under Rodgers' wing, the meteoric rise since has dismissed any notion of pathos – candidly, it was just one of those that didn't work out.
Both Jota and Diaz might've been outscored by Aspas last season, but injuries hampered their respective chances of mounting prolific campaigns.
That being said, both players did perform admirably during their time on the pitch, and a restored Liverpool team's start to the current campaign underscores the credentials of both players.
Truthfully, Liverpool failed to bring the best out of Aspas but the blame must be portioned out equally; he failed to integrate into the squad and into English football, with his failure to learn the English language compounding his problem.
At present, Klopp and co will hardly rue the harnessing of his core goalscoring qualities, having built an illustrious dynasty steeped in offensive threat and liquid fluidity.
Although Liverpool fumbled the bag in paying Aspas' transfer fee and shipped him on after one, unsuccessful year, he has now bloomed into one of Europe's most impressive goalscorers,