Three players given A*
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Jürgen Klopp shook the world of football, and sent earthquakes through Merseyside, when he announced that he would be stepping down as Liverpool manager at the end of the season. The German has been in charge since 2015, and has won every trophy possible during his nine years with the Reds. In an official statement, Klopp said: “It is that I am, how can I say it, running out of energy. I know that I cannot do the job again and again and again and again.” And when you analyse how Klopp has had Liverpool competing right at the top of the game for the past five or six years without anywhere near the net spend of the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City, or Chelsea, it’s easy to understand the 56-year-old’s necessity to take a break. Liverpool host Chelsea this Wednesday, in their first Premier League game since the news emerged about Klopp departing.
Since arriving at Anfield, no manager in the Premier League has more points in the English top-flight than Klopp, who has amassed an incredible 671 points from 317 league games. However, the fact that he achieved all that he did without the same financial muscle as major competitors in the Premier League, makes it all the more impressive. Since becoming Liverpool manager in 2015, the Anfield club’s net spend on transfer fees stands at €420 million. That may seem like a lot, but it pales in comparison to a number of English football’s richest clubs and places Liverpool just eighth on the list, behind Newcastle, Tottenham and West Ham. Klopp has spent €938.5m in total as Liverpool manager, but how successful were his 10 most lucrative signings? We grade them below.
Klopp’s ten most expensive signings graded from A* to F
Klopp has signed 37 players during his nine years at Anfield. They haven’t spent big often, but when they have needed a certain profile the club haven’t been afraid to splash out. It’s usually worked out. When looking at the top 10 transfers under Klopp, the bulk have been an overwhelming success, highlighting the transfer acumen of the German and those around him at Liverpool. However, like every club, not every new signing can hit the ground running and be a success.
1. Darwin Núñez – 2022 – €85m from Benfica
Darwin Núñez has had a very juxtaposed beginning to his Liverpool career. From the stunning like his flicked finish in his debut against Fulham, to the ridiculous with some horrendous misses, the Uruguayan has had supporters off their feet for both the good and the bad. However, Núñez does already have eleven goals and 10 assists this season, and has suffered from direct comparisons to the empathic Ering Haaland who arrived at Manchester City at the same time Núñez moved to England. He’s still raw but has the talent to be both prolific and entertaining.
Núñez grade – B
2. Virgil van Dijk – €84.65m from Southampton – 2018
Virgil van Dijk has been lauded as one of if not the best centre-back in world football throughout his time at Anfield. He scored the winning goal on his debut against local rivals Everton and it was the perfect epiphany of what was to come. When van Dijk arrived the big trophies began to arrive, and Liverpool went from looking defensively vulnerable to one of the most solid sides out there. In the 2018/19 Premier League season, van Dijk didn’t get dribbled past once. A serious ACL injury against Everton in 2020 set the Dutchman back for a good 18 months before he was back to his best, but this season he has been colossal once more, as Liverpool lead the Premier League table. A modern legend at Anfield.
Van Dijk grade – A*
3. Dominik Szoboszlai – €70m from RB Leipzig – 2023
Having only signed last summer, Dominik Szoboszlai hasn’t had the opportunity to show prolonged consistency in a Liverpool shirt, but the early glimpses are extremely exciting. The Hungarian has been a breath of fresh air in the Reds midfield, and has looked classy in all he’s done. Szoboszlai already has four goals and four assists from 27 games, and has been at the heart of a lot of Liverpool’s great play. If he can carry on at the same trajectory, albeit without Klopp as his manager, he is sure to flourish at Anfield.
Szoboszlai grade – A
4. Alisson – €62.5m from Roma
Like van Dijk, goalkeeper Alisson was a huge part of transforming Liverpool football club back into winners. After a calamitous performance from keeper Loris Karius cost Liverpool in the 2018 Champions League final, Liverpool forked out for the Brazilian shot stopper the following summer. Since then, Alisson has been widely regarded as the best keeper in the world. Combining his lightning reactions and brilliance in saving one-on-ones, with his composure on the ball in playing out, the 31-year-old has been an undisputed success story in Merseyside, and already has 112 clean sheets for the club.
Alisson grade – A*
5. Naby Keïta – €60m from RB Leipzig
The first player on this list who hasn’t been an almighty success at Anfield, Guinean midfielder Naby Keïta flattered to deceive at Anfield. There was a lot of excitement around the signing of the centre-midfielder, and when he produced a deft Zinedine Zidane-esque flick just 46 seconds into his debut against West Ham, he had the Kop purring. However, ultimately in 129 appearances, Keïta produced just 11 goals, and seven assists, and failed to build on his promising potential, leaving the Anfield faithful wondering ‘what could have been’.
Keïta grade – D
6. Luis Díaz – €47m from Porto
Colombian Luis Díaz has been a success at Liverpool so far, without being consistently outstanding. Many factors have hindered his progress such as a serious knee injury last season and his father being kidnapped in Colombia near the beginning of this season. A horrific situation that is naturally bigger than football and bound to take your mind off of the game itself. The Colombian scored four in his first 13 Premier League games, after signing from Porto in the January of 2022. Nevertheless since then he still hasn’t managed more than four goals in a single league campaign. Four goals in 17 matches last term, and three in 20 this season. There’s more to come from Díaz, but he will need to start delivering consistency soon to maximise his potential.
Díaz grade – B
7. Fabinho – €45m from Monaco
For around an 18 month to two year period between 2019 and 2021, Fabinho looked like one of the best holding midfielders in the world and an absolute bargain buy from Monaco, with a long future in Merseyside. However, the perspective seemed to change fairly abruptly around Fabinho, and after a season of underperformance in the 2022/23 campaign, the Brazilian was sold to Saudi Arabia, aged 29. No doubt one of the top performers during Liverpool’s title winning season of 2019/20 and will always be welcomed to Anfield, but there is a sense there could have been even more from the Red’s old No.3.
Fabinho grade – B
8. Diogo Jota – €44.7m from Wolves
“I think of some of the strikers I’ve played alongside: Michael Owen, Luis Suárez, Fernando Torres, Robbie Fowler. I think he [Jota] is the best finisher,” said club legend Jamie Carragher, after Diogo Jota’s brace against Bournemouth. And it’s true the Portuguese forward has the best conversion rate from chances for Liverpool in Premier League history with 19.3%. Jota hasn’t always been a guaranteed start for the Reds, but can always be relied upon when fit, and could be the best option as a longer term replacement for their Egyptian King.
Jota grade – A
9. Mohamed Salah – €42m from Roma
Speaking of the devil, who would have thought when Mohamed Salah signed for Liverpool back in 2017, after his torrid spell at Chelsea ended in the Blues letting him go to Italy for just €15m, the Egyptian would go down as one of the greatest Premier league players of all time. He’s also in the conversation for Liverpool’s greatest ever player alongside the likes of Sir Kenny Dalglish and Steven Gerrard. With 204 goals in 332 games for the club, Salah to Liverpool will go down as one of the best signings in English history, and will never have to buy a drink in the red half of Merseyside.
Salah grade – A*
10. Cody Gakpo – €42m from PSV – 2023
Signed in the January window this time last year, Dutchman Cody Gakpo hasn’t exactly pulled up trees at Liverpool, but has chipped in with some key moments, and there’s hope he can improve further. He’s bagged 10 goals in 40 Premier League appearances so far is underwhelming for an attacking player, but he did notch a brace in Liverpool’s infamous 7-0 win over rivals Man United last season. That’s sure to buy him more time to prove he can step up.
Gakpo grade – C
Firmino, Díaz & Co. – Liverpool’s record signings
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