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Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool had a roller coaster of a 2020-21 season across all fronts.
The Reds had a superb start to the campaign as they looked to defend their first Premier League crown in 30 years. While they were once atop the Premier League standings, their season quickly began to unravel in a dramatic fashion. The biggest talking point of their season was the astonishing number of injuries they faced, particularly in defence.
Superstar defender Virgil van Dijk was on the end of an ill-advised tackle from Jordan Pickford in a heated Merseyside derby back in October. This led to him being ruled out for the season. Joe Gomez joined him on the treatment table as he too was ruled out of the season after a serious knee injury (patellar tendon rupture) with England in November.
With Joel Matip also injured, Liverpool were forced to rely upon rookie defenders Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams for large parts of the season. The two young defenders were partnered by the likes of Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, and winter loan signing Ozan Kabak. In total, Liverpool have fielded an astonishing 21 (!) different league combinations this season.
Given their miserable injury situation, it's quite a remarkable feat for Klopp's men to finish in their place in the Premier League. Liverpool evidently want to be better prepared for a similar situation in the future and have begun to make moves in the transfer market.
The Reds sealed the signature of one of Europe's most exciting talents, Ibrahima Konate, in a €40m deal. Here, we take a look at where Konate ranks among Liverpool's most expensive defenders of all time.
Liverpool's most expensive defensive signings
#5 Mamadou Sakho | €19m
French defender Mamadou Sakho was a popular cult figure at the club during his time in Merseyside. A no-nonsense centre-half by trade, the towering Frenchman moved to Liverpool in the summer of 2013 for a fee of €19m. He left his boyhood Paris Saint-Germain after 201 appearances in all competitions.
Sakho was part of Brendan Rodgers' squad that nearly won the title back in 2013/14. However, the 31-year-old's role at the club began to reduce in the following seasons before a permanent move to Crystal Palace four years later. The former PSG captain made 80 appearances on all fronts for the Reds' senior side.
In many ways, he's had an unfortunate career. Neither did he manage to stay at PSG for their golden era of French domination, nor did he witness the immense success that Klopp brought about.
#4 Glen Johnson | €20.5m
Former England international Glen Johnson moved to Liverpool back in 2009 on the back of a superb spell with Portsmouth. The right-back joined the Reds in a deal worth up to €20.5m, making him their most defensive signing at the time. He is the oldest transfer to make it to this list, and the only one made in the 2000s.
Johnson was one of Liverpool's most consistent performers during his spell at Anfield. The former Chelsea man ended up making 200 appearances for Liverpool across all competitions, scoring nine goals and setting up 19. Johnson helped the Reds win the 2011-12 EFL Cup before moving to Stoke City on a free transfer.
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#3 Dejan Lovren | €25.3m
Dejan Lovren was one of three Southampton players signed by Liverpool ahead of the 2014/15 season. After an impressive Premier League campaign with the Saints, Liverpool paid a massive €25.3m fee to lure him away from St. Mary's. The Croat became Liverpool's most expensive defensive signing at the time until Virgil van Dijk was signed in 2018.
Lovren then went on to make 185 appearances on all fronts during his six-year spell at the club. He helped Liverpool reach the finals of the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Champions League under Jurgen Klopp.
He ultimately left Anfield for Zenit St. Petersburg with a Premier League and a UCL title, albeit playing a bit-part role in both triumphs.
#2 Ibrahima Konate | €40m
Liverpool made Ibrahima Konate the second-most expensive defensive signing in their history earlier this week. The French star has long been regarded as one of the most promising defenders in Europe at RB Leipzig, along with his compatriot Dayot Upamecano. While the latter joined Bayern Munich, Liverpool beat a host of top European clubs to sign his teammate.
Standing at 6'4", Konate is a gifted athlete who is dominant on the ground and in the air, as he's shown in his 95 appearances for Leipzig.
He has been likened to Virgil van Dijk by many and combines his pace, defensive awareness, and ability on the ball, making him the complete package. The 22-year-old could possibly turn out to be a brilliant piece of business for Klopp's men.
#1 Virgil van Dijk | €84.65m
Liverpool's seemingly questionable decision to spend a record €84.65m fee for Virgil van Dijk turned out to be one of their best pieces of business. The Dutchman proved to be the catalyst that brought about one of the Reds' most successful eras in their history. Van Dijk inspired Liverpool to their first-ever Premier League title and a sixth UCL crown since arriving from Southampton in 2018.
The towering centre-half is Liverpool's most expensive defender and player of all time. In fact, Harry Maguire of Manchester United is the only central defender in history who has cost more than Van Dijk after the Red Devils paid €87m.
Regardless of his price, the manner in which Van Dijk transformed Liverpool as a unit is an astonishing achievement in itself. The 29-year-old made 130 appearances for Liverpool across all competitions and scored 13 goals in that period.
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