Liverpool FC is traditionally considered a powerhouse in English football due to their illustrious trophy list. But financially, many clubs have overtaken them in the past 30 years or so. They simply do not have the spending power of Chelsea, Manchester City or Manchester United. Hence, they have been forced to think a lot more about big-money signings. In this list, we will look at the five most expensive Liverpool players of all time.
#5 Fabinho – £40.5m (2018)
Nicknamed “the lighthouse” by Liverpool staff, Fabinho is an integral part of Klopp’s setup. He joined Monaco in 2018 after helping them win the league in 2017. Despite his slender frame, Fabinho has become famous for his robust reading of the game and is not shy from lunging into dangerous tackles. Additionally, he has a wonderful passing range and can play anywhere across the midfield or even as a central defender.
Fabinho has made 135 appearances for Liverpool in all competitions since his arrival. Being one of the most expensive Liverpool players, Fabinho has duly justified his price tag in the last four seasons.
#4 Christian Benteke – £41.85m (2015)
Benteke is without doubt the least heralded among the most expensive Liverpool players of all time. After three successful seasons with Crystal Palace, Benteke wanted an upgrade and chose Liverpool over other clubs. In his first and only season at Liverpool, Benteke scored just 10 times in 42 appearances. He was criticized by the Anfield faithful and decided to move to Crystal Palace at the end of the season. He found new lease of life under Roy Hodgson and currently plays for Aston Villa.
#3 Naby Keita – £54m (2018)
If there is a signing made by Klopp that deserves criticism, it has to be Naby Keita. Everybody knows that Keita can be a game-changer on his day, but his style simply does not suit the demands of Klopp. Liverpool’s midfield is known for being tight and relentless, but Keita lacks the defensive discipline of others such as Henderson.
Keita’s performance against Atlético Madrid is a great example of his ability and weakness. He scored a terrific goal, but his defensive lapses almost cost Liverpool three points. If he improves his work rate, he can surely reach his full potential as a number 8.
#2 Alisson – £56.25m (2018)
Alisson was Klopp’s obsession long before Liverpool signed him in 2018. In the 2017/18 season, Liverpool had a phenomenal attack, but goal-keeping errors cost them big. The impact Alisson had at Anfield was simply phenomenal, as his instinctive reactions and ball-playing skills made him a crowd favorite.
He won the Premier League Golden Glove in 2018/19, along with the prestigious Yashin Trophy. Alisson continued his wonderful form in 19/20 as Liverpool conceded the least goals and won the Premier League. 20/21 was forgettable for Alisson, as he made several uncharacteristic errors. However, a memorable header
#1 Virgil Van Dijk – £76.19m (2018)
The Netherlands skipper tops the list of Liverpool’s most expensive players of all time. Van Dijk was signed from Southampton in January 2018, and he soon became the bedrock of Liverpool’s defense. Even the error-prone Dejan Lovren thrived in a partnership with Van Dijk, albeit only for a brief period. In the 2018/19 season, Van Dijk was quite literally unbreakable, as nobody dribbled past him for the majority of that season. He also came painstakingly close to winning the Premier League and Ballon d’Or in 2019.
In the 2019/20 season, Van Dijk continued his impressive form and Liverpool won the league for the first time in 30 years. His importance to Liverpool was clear in 20/21 as the Reds completely faltered in the title race in his absence.
