'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
After the impressive challenge Liverpool put up in the Champions League last year, they were always going to spend big to improve on their squad. Over the summer, around £170 million was spent to bolster the Reds' options.
Alongside the previously agreed Naby Keita arrival, we saw Fabinho, Xherdan Shaqiri and Alisson Becker all join the Anfield club, with the latter arriving for a then-world record fee for a goalkeeper.
The season started extremely well for Liverpool, with seven wins in their first seven games. There were a few dropped points and dodgy performances, particularly at European away games, but the Reds have been able to maintain their impressive start and sit in second place, behind the unbelievable Manchester City. The new signings have all contributed in their own ways, some more than the others.
All four players who signed for Liverpool in the summer have made some sort of impact at the club so far, but there is a considerable difference in how much impact has been made. How do they stack up against each other so far? Here is a look at each of Liverpool's four summer signings, based on the impact made by them.
Naby Keita
Naby Keita signed for Liverpool in 2017, agreeing to join the club the next summer. There was a lot of hype surrounding the Guinean midfielder, as he enjoyed an impressive preseason.
Keita started his Liverpool career really well, with a couple of dynamic performances during the Reds’ perfect start to their league season. He was impressive and ready to take the Premier League by storm. However, he wasn't able to sustain his great start.
Keita had a few poor performances, not doing much, in September and fell out of the team. He got a back injury during the away defeat to Napoli and while he returned that weekend, the international break caused more problems for the midfielder and Liverpool. The former RB Leipzig man is nearing a return from his hamstring injury and will hope that he can finally get going and deliver the way fans were expecting him to when he first arrived at Anfield.
Fabinho
Liverpool acted really quickly to sign the Brazilian midfielder from Monaco for £40 million, amid interest from Manchester United. Fabinho was more like a Robertson or an Oxlade-Chamberlain in the sense that he had to wait for his chance in the first team.
He hardly featured during the opening stretch of the season, both Premier League and Champions League. Fabinho's full debut came in the League Cup defeat to Chelsea. He did take a while to settle in his new surroundings.
After the international break in October, injuries in midfield meant that Fabinho had a chance to make an impact and cement his place in Jurgen Klopp's starting eleven. He enjoyed a great couple of games against Red Star Belgrade and Cardiff City but struggled a little at the Emirates against Arsenal.
The Brazilian remains a solid and steady hand in the Reds midfield, but he will have to play more and more to keep on improving.
Xherdan Shaqiri
After Stoke City got relegated, it seemed like signing Xherdan Shaqiri would be a massive risk as he seemed to lack work ethic and unmotivated, despite the undoubted talent he possessed.
However, Liverpool took a chance and signed him for £13 million. It turned out to be possibly the bargain of the year. Shaqiri, while he did not play much before September, hit it off immediately for his new club. He played a huge part in the Reds’ 3-0 victory over Southampton and continued on from there.
The Swiss winger had an excellent second half of October, as he opened his Liverpool account. He now seems like the Coutinho replacement that the Reds really needed, their beacon of creativity who would unlock the tightest of defenses.
He has been consistently impressive for Liverpool and has forced a change in formation from 4-3-3 to 4-2-3-1, with him playing just behind the striker. The former Bayern man has settled into his new surroundings perfectly and has become one of Liverpool's most important players this season.
Alisson Becker
After Loris Karius made those two freak errors in the Champions League final, it was clear that Liverpool needed to go in for a goalkeeper if they wanted to challenge for trophies in 2018-19.
In the end, Jurgen Klopp got Brazil's number one Alisson Becker from Roma for a brief world record of £56 million. His calmness and composure immediately showed, as Liverpool did not concede any goals in the first three games of the season. Alisson was already doing wonders to improve an already progressing side.
He made one error against Leicester City, but that's about it. Besides that, he has been great for Liverpool, a real breath of fresh air. Alisson has already saved the Reds some crucial points this season and will continue to do so. His quick thinking even contributes to the attack at times, as he is the one to initiate forward moves more often than not. The former Roma 'keeper is the best one Liverpool fans have seen since Pepe Reina was at the top of his game.
Seven clean sheets in twelve league games is a particularly impressive feat, with the combined efforts of the defenders and Alisson Becker himself coming into play. He might go down as one of the most important signings in recent Liverpool history.
