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.