Ranked: Liverpool’s 10 most expensive signings as Darwin Nunez nears exit door
Despite being one of the Premier League’s biggest clubs, it is not often that Liverpool splash the cash on a big-money signing.
Reports linking them to Alexander Isak have rightly been met with scepticism given this is a club that has never broken the £100m barrier, something they would undoubtedly have to do should they seriously target the Newcastle striker.
Instead, Liverpool have built a reputation for some savvy business deals and their famous front three of Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Fimino do not even feature on this list of biggest deals (as taken from transfermarkt).
With that trio just missing out, here are the top 10 most expensive transfers in Liverpool history ranked on how bloody brilliant (or not) they were for the Merseyside club:
10) Christian Benteke
The fact that Benteke is still on this list almost a decade after the transfer shows a) just how much Liverpool overspent on the Belgian striker and b) how few big-money deals they have pulled off in the intervening years.
Flush with cash from the £49m sale of Raheem Sterling to Manchester City, Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool made Benteke their number one target and the transfer came at the costly figure of £32.5m.
Benteke joined in the same window as Roberto Firmino and while the Brazilian went on to become a fan favourite and an important cog in Jurgen Klopp’s machine, Benteke lasted just one season at Anfield.
The Belgian scored 10 goals in 42 appearances, including a bicycle kick at Old Trafford (don’t remind Martin Tyler), but joined Crystal Palace just a year later.
9) Naby Keita
The Klopp signing that went most awry, Naby Keita was decent when he was fit but that became an increasing problem during his time on Merseyside.
Arriving in 2018 having been bought a year earlier, Keita was given Gerrard’s number 8 but if Liverpool fans were hoping for a v2 of their local hero, it soon became clear that was a fantasy.
His injury troubles began in 2019 and by his fifth and final year with the club, he was unavailable for 227 days of the season.
Liverpool let him go on a free in 2023 with Keita joining Werder Bremen. That went well, with Keita refusing to board the team bus after being told he was out of the Bremen starting line-up; he was subsequently handed a fine, a suspension and a one-way ticket to Ferencvaros on loan.
8) Darwin Nunez
Liverpool do not tend to splash the cash but when they do, they usually get it right. But there is always one that breaks the mould and in this case, it is Darwin Nunez.
Signed for an initial £64 million, which could have risen (it won’t) to £85m, Nunez is one of the most expensive signings in Liverpool history but he has so far failed to live up to the price tag. Or even about half the price tag.
As a dedicated agent of chaos, neutrals have enjoyed watching Nunez, who is just as likely to score a worldie as he is to headbutt someone.
Having given him time, it would appear Arne Slot has now seen enough with Nunez reportedly on the verge of a summer exit. They probably need to send him to Saudi Arabia to recoup their money..
7) Luis Diaz
With Sadio Mane’s powers waning, Liverpool signed Porto winger Luis Diaz for a fee of £37.5m.
The Colombian has more than repaid that fee, being named man of the match in the FA Cup final, but there is still a feeling he could do more.
A hot player when he’s on and a cold player when he’s, erm, off, Diaz has scored just 37 times in 140 appearances for the Merseyside club.
There has been some talk that Diaz may depart this summer but Slot may hold onto the 28-year-old for a little while yet.
6) Dominik Szoboszlai
The jury is still out on Liverpool’s £60million midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai, who only joined the club last season.
He hit the ground running, creating 21 chances in the first nine games, but picked up a hamstring injury which plighted his debut season.
This year he has been an influential part of Arne Slot’s new-look midfield but there is a belief the 24-year-old Hungarian can operate at an even higher level.
5) Diogo Jota
Mr.Verstile Diogo Jota arrived from Wolves in the summer of 2020 and has become an important option for Liveprool’s front three.
The Portuguese player has struggled with injuries, but when he is on the pitch he often pops up with a crucial goal such as his back-heeled effort at Old Trafford to help Liverpool finish third and secure Champions League football.
Since signing, Jota has netted 64 times in 174 games while registering 22 assists.
4) Alexis Mac Allister
Following Jordan Henderson’s departure to Saudi and Georginio Wijnaldum’s possibly premature to PSG, Liverpool were looking for fresh midfield faces, which is why they opted to sign Brighton’s Alexis Mac Allister.
Since his bargain £35m arrival from the seaside, the most Scottish-sounding Argentine has become the heartbeat of Liverpool’s midfield.
Appearing in all but one of Liverpool’s league games this season, only Ryan Gravenberch, Salah and Van Dijk have played more this year.
3) Fabinho
His fall-off may have been dramatic but during his peak, Fabinho was Busquets-level good for Liverpool.
Shielding the back four, Fabinho was able to recycle possession with the speed that was crucial to Liverpool’s counter-attacking style under Klopp.
With Fabinho at the heart of their midfield, Liverpool won the Champions League and Premier League.
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2) Alisson Becker
With a run of questionable choices between the sticks, goalkeeper was becoming a big problem for Liverpool.
Pepe Reina’s departure in 2013 saw Simon Mignolet arrive, followed by Loris Karius (remember the 2018 Champions League final) but in 2018 (not a coincidence), Liverpool paid Roma £66.8m for 25-year-old Alisson Becker.
The most expensive goalkeeper in history, if only for a few days thanks to Kepa, Alisson has proven to be worth every penny.
His performance away at PSG this year was the highlight of what has been seven excellent years in the net.
Golden Glove winner in his first season, Allison has conceded an average of 0.86 goals per game for the Reds and if that was not already enough, he scored a vital header away at West Brom to save Liverpool’s Champions League qualification campaign.
1) Virgil van Dijk
Picking between Salah and Van Dijk as the most crucial player for Klopp’s Liverpool is a point of endless debate but considering the Egyptian has missed out on this list, it makes our life a lot easier.
When Liverpool forked out £75m, during the winter transfer window no less, for the Southampton centre-back, the chorus was “really? That guy?”
A stint at Celtic and then Southampton had both been decent but there had been little to suggest he warranted becoming the most expensive defender of all time.
But, how wrong that chorus has proved to be. Van Dijk has fixed a leaky defence and become the leader of the team.
His performances – key to Liverpool’s Champions League and Premier League titles – earned him second in the 2019 Ballon d’Or vote, just seven off winner Lionel Messi and the best-ranked defender since Fabio Cannavaro’s success in 2006.
Even now, Van Dijk is the heart of the Liverpool team and if you asked fans which of their three out-of-contract players they most want to keep, the Dutchman would be the answer more than most…
