Over the years, Liverpool have loved a bargain in the transfer windows – you’ve only got to look at senior squad players James Milner, Joel Matip, Andy Robertson and Xherdan Shaqiri to see that.
But which players have proven to be the best value-for-money transfers of the modern era? I’ve taken a look at all the players the Reds have signed since the beginning of the Premier League, and have compiled my top five.
I have put a few rules in place – I won’t include free transfers, and can only select players that we paid a fee to another club for. So that rules out the aforementioned Matip and Milner.
5. Luis Suarez (£23million)
The Uruguayan is perhaps the most talented player the Premier League has seen, and to sign him for less than what we paid for Fernando Torres a few years earlier is ludicrous.
4. Andy Robertson (£8million)
The Scotland international has proven to be the most shrewd signing we’ve seen in years; everybody laughed when it was announced that we’d plucked him from the relegated Hull City.
3. Xabi Alonso (£10.5million)
An expensive transfer for the time, but the Spaniard turned out to be one of the finest midfielders in the world and played a huge part in our 2005 Champions League triumph.
2. Sami Hyypia (£2.6million)
For just shy of £3million, Liverpool signed a player who would go on to captain the Reds and make over 460 appearances for the club – a true legend.
1. Phil Coutinho (£8.5million)
The Brazilian may no longer be a fan favourite, but there is no denying his quality – he was one of our star players during a major transition period at Anfield and we sold him on for silly money to Barcelona.
Honourable mentions: Igor Biscan (£5.5million), John Arne Riise (£4.6million), Luis Garcia (£6million), Peter Crouch (£7million), Daniel Agger (£5.8million), Alvaro Arbeloa (£2.6million), Lucas Leiva (£6million), Torres (£26.5million), Danny Ward (£0.1million), Daniel Sturridge (£12million), Divock Origi (£10million), Joe Gomez (£3.5million), Mo Salah (£34million) and Sadio Mane (£34million).
Most of the players listed above went on to have successful stints at the club, and were great value for money.
Salah and Mane may stand out as expensive signings, but in the current transfer market I’d argue that they’re a bargain – the same may be said of Torres in 2007.
Lastly, this is just my opinion and I’m sure there are a plethora of top 5s we could all come up with. Tell me yours on Twitter, if you fancy it.