The Reds had the Frenchman on loan from Paris St. Germain for a
six-month period, with an option to buy for £12 million. But former
Kop boss Gerard Houllier decided to splash the cash on El-Hadji
Diouf, Senegal's star of the 2002 World Cup.
"I think it's a bit strong to say it was one of the worst decisions
ever, but it's fair to say it was a mistake," Carragher told the
press.
"You look at Anelka now - he was top scorer in the Premier League
last season. It's in the past now, but it was probably something
that never went our way."
Anelka went on to have successful spells at Manchester City and
Bolton Wanderers, with a two-year outing with Turkish outfit
Fenerbahce sandwiched in between. He then moved to Premier League
heavyweights Chelsea in a £15m transfer last year, and notched up
19 league goals during the 2008-09 season.