The Finnish forward moved to Merseyside from FC Barcelona in January 2001 in a dream transfer for a player who had been besotted by the all-conquering sides of the 1970s and ‘80s.
He would go on to make 43 appearances and score nine goals for Gerard Houllier’s team during a period of sustained success and progress on the pitch.
His spell was tinged by a frustration – shared among supporters – that he did not gain enough playing time, with 24 of his outings as a substitute.
But Litmanen looks back on his Anfield stay with a wealth of fondness having achieved the life goal of representing the team who captured his heart as a child via television.