Philippe Coutinho and Emre Can have both stood out this season, but neither player cost more than £10m…
It’s hard not to crave big money signings when you support a club of the stature of Liverpool. It’s equally hard not to get excited by them when they arrive, even if some of our biggest deals down the years have ultimately ended in disappointment.
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It’s worth remembering that Philippe Coutinho and Emre Can, arguably our two best players so far this season, costing just half of what it took to bring Andy Carroll to Anfield back in January 2011, even with their fees combined.
The Reds have proved extremely adept at uncovering some hidden gems down the years, and picking them up for criminally low fees! In the list below, we rank our ten best bargain buys since the turn of the century:
10) Yossi Benayoun (from West Ham United, £5m)
Liverpool signed the Israeli ahead of the 2007-08 season. With Rafael Benitez also splashing the cash on Javier Mascherano, Ryan Babel and Fernando Torres that summer, he was easy to forget, but he proved to be an astute buy.
9) Alvaro Arbeloa (from Deportivo La Coruna, £2.64m)
Few had heard of the young Spanish full-back when he arrived at Anfield, but he proved to be an excellent addition. His performances soon attracted interest from Real Madrid, as well as the Spanish national team.
8) John Arne Riise (from Monaco, £4.6m)
One of the greatest full-back’s in recent Liverpool history, and a player who we still hadn’t replaced until the arrival of Alberto Moreno this summer. The Norwegian’s fierce long-range shots became stuff of legend.
7) Emre Can (from Bayer Leverkusen, £10m)
The 21-year-old is undoubtedly the pick of our most recent crop of summer signings, playing an integral part in our recent charge up the Premier League table. He’s definitely found a new home in our defensive back three.
6) Daniel Agger (from Brondby, £5.8m)
The Dane formed a formidable defensive partnership with Jamie Carragher, making-up one half of our best centre-back pairing of the last two decades. Agger was extremely popular, and unwaveringly committed to the cause.
5) Daniel Sturridge (from Chelsea, £12m)
Strikers cost a notoriously high amount, particularly when they are both young and English. But Liverpool clinched a deal for the former Chelsea star in January 2013, and he’s been a big hit at Anfield.
4) Xabi Alonso (from Real Sociedad, £10.5m)
One of the heroes of Liverpool’s Champions League success in 2005, and undoubtedly one of the best midfielders – along with Steven Gerrard – to play Premier League football for the Reds. We doubled our money on him as well.
3) Martin Skrtel (from Zenit Saint Petersburg, £6.5m)
Since the departures of Carragher and Agger, the Slovakian has taken over the role of Liverpool’s defensive leader. He’s been in fine form so far this season, and has been a solid servant to the Reds over the years.
2) Pepe Reina (from Villarreal, £6m)
The best Liverpool goalkeeper of the Premier League era. The Spaniard made almost 400 appearances for the club, and was an extremely popular figure among the Anfield faithful. Another star that arguably left too soon.
1) Philippe Coutinho (from Inter Milan, £8.5m)
What more can we say about the Brazilian superstar this season. He has been simply sensation, and has even added goals to his game since the turn of the year, with his stunners against Southampton and Manchester City likely to go down as two of the best ever!
