When Jurgen Klopp insisted Virgil van Dijk was the only centre-back he wanted to sign, despite a failed attempt in summer 2017, many were questioning his stance.
When it took £75 million to prise him from Southampton the following January, eyebrows were raised even more.
Now, though, the Dutchman is one of the frontrunners for the Premier League Player of the Year award and has established himself as one of best defenders in world football.
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Yesterday, when it was announced that Bayern Munich would spend a club-record £68 million on Atletico Madrid’s Lucas Hernandez, the value that Klopp uncovered in Van Dijk was even more underlined.
There is no doubting 23-year-old Hernandez has potential – but he is nowhere near the player that Van Dijk is, and may never be.
Since Neymar moved to PSG for almost £200 million, the transfer market has been distorted. Bayern’s big-money move for a relatively untested player just goes to show how good a signing Van Dijk has been for the Reds.
Hernandez’s Bundesliga switch is just the latest piece in a long line of evidence that points to Van Dijk being a bargain – he’s been a sensational signing and has simply transformed the Reds’ defence ever since the moment he walked through the door.