Steven Gerrard left Liverpool almost a decade ago in summer of 2015, going on to see out the final years of his playing career in the California sunshine with LA Galaxy. But what became of the four others who departed Anfield on a free transfer alongside the legendary Reds captain?
Raheem Sterling was the big-money sale that summer, a few months before the Jurgen Klopp revolution, while Iago Aspas, Sebastian Coates, Fabio Borini and Rickie Lambert were all sold for smaller fees. But for the purposes of this piece, we’re taking a look at the four players who were let go for zilch.
Ten years on, we’ve revisited the four players who were released by Liverpool alongside Gerrard in the summer of 2015.
Brad Jones
The Australian goalkeeper spent five years as a fringe player on Merseyside after signing for a nominal fee from Middlesbrough in 2010. He never seriously challenged for the No.1 shirt and generally warmed the bench, with one short loan stint away at Derby County for good measure.
Jones’ latter years were eclectic enough, representing five clubs across four countries around the globe from Bradford City to NEC Breda and Feyenoord, Saudi Pro League outfit Al Nassr and finally back home with Perth Glory.
After retiring aged 40 a couple of years back, Jones remains at Perth Glory as a goalkeeping coach for the women’s team.
Glen Johnson
“I had a very good time [at Liverpool] and enjoyed the majority of it. But I turned down a new contract at the end of the day, so it ended exactly how I would like,” the right-back said of his decision to depart Anfield in the summer of 2015.
“I met Mark Hughes and everything he had to say was what I wanted to hear. I’m settling in well and I’ve been made to feel welcome, so it couldn’t be going any better at the moment,” Johnson added, of his decision to join Stoke City.
“It’s just typical my first game [for Stoke] is against my old club. That’s football and we’ll do what we’ve got to do. It’s my job and I’ll treat it as any other game.”
Stoke lost 1-0 to Liverpool in that 2015-16 season opener. Johnson remained at the Bet365 stadium for three seasons and hung up his boots following their relegation in 2018.
It’s been the typical post-retirement fare for Johnson. He does a bit of media work, occasionally overseas as an ambassador for Liverpool.
Jordan Lussey
Liverpool’s retained list was considerably longer than their released list at the end of the 2014-15 season.
Local lad Lussey was one of just two academy players let go. The midfielder featured fairly regularly for the Under-21s during the early 2010s, but he never seriously challenged for a place in the senior set-up and departed without making a first-team debut.
Now 30, the former England youth international has grafted away at a respectable career in the lower reaches of the pyramid. He’s had a couple of stints at non-league Marine alongside Southport, staying in the area, but he’s also represented Telford United, Nuneaton Borough and AFC Fylde a bit further afield.
Nowadays Lussey is back in the Merseyside area, having recently joined Northern Premier League Division One West side Bootle.
Marc Pelosi
US youth international Pelosi, a distant relative of famous politician Nancy, joined Liverpool from Saratoga outfit De Anza Force in 2011.
The midfielder spent four years developing his skills at Melwood before returning home to the Golden State. Gerrard wasn’t the only former Liverpool man to rock up in California that summer; Pelosi signed for MLS side San Jose Earthquakes.
He made only a handful of senior appearances in his professional career and called it quits a couple of years later. According to his LinkedIn, he now works as an investor in Utah.