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There are few football managers in the 21st century that have done what Jurgen Klopp has at Liverpool. The German took over the reins at what is essentially a sleeping giant and oversaw an evolution of the team to fit the image of his football. They went from chasing UEFA Champions League spots on the Premier League table to defending the European crown with honour.
He took a side consisting the likes of Adam Lallana, Alberto Moreno, Lucas Leiva, Emre Can and many more figures of Liverpool's yesteryear and replaced them gradually and discreetly with talents he saw fit to wear the red of Liverpool with pride. From dubious line-ups featuring sub-standard players, he now leads of a squad boasting of former PFA Player of the Year winner Mohamed Salah, defending Player of the Year and Ballon d'Or runner up Virgil van Dijk, Champions League Golden Glove winner Alisson Becker, and many more stellar names.
Despite Liverpool's numerous smart decisions in the transfer market, some transfers went on to define the way the European champions play and have gone on to cement their legacies as modern Merseyside icons.
We take a look at 5 of Liverpool's best signings under the Jurgen Klopp era, based on how much the players have contributed to the Reds' recent success and how integral they are to the side.
Honourable mention: Gini Wijnaldum
Reported fee: €27.50m
Gini Wijnaldum's transformation under Klopp has been unbelievable. From a relatively inconsistent attacking midfielder from a relegation-threatened Newcastle United side, the German maximised key aspects of the Dutchman's strengths and turned him into a phenomenal all-round midfield player. From ball retention to composed handling of the ball in midfield duels to the odd goal, Wijnaldum has a 'Jack of all trades, master of none' feel to him and is sure to be a key member of Klopp's plans heading in the future.
Klopp's decision to introduce the 29-year-old into the fray in place of Andy Robertson in the Champions League semi-final return leg at home to Barcelona proved to be s stroke of genius as Wijnaldum went on to be the catalyst for an unlikely Liverpool comeback. The former Newcastle man has been a great acquisition for the Reds.
5. Andy Robertson
Reported fee: €9m
The rise of Andy Robertson over the last decade has been nothing short of astounding. After coming through the ranks at Queen's Park Rangers, the Scottish left-back made his way to a Champions League-winning Reds side after stints at Dundee United and, more famously, a relegated Hull City.
Robertson plays with his heart on his sleeve and along with fellow full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold he has gone on to typify Klopp's Liverpool. Both work tirelessly to provide the Premier League leaders with width on the pitch, enabling the likes of Sadio Mane and Salah to drift infield. They also provide them with an incredible attacking outlet for the Merseyside club, with Robertson and Alexander-Arnold providing 11 and 12 assists respectively in the 2018/19 Premier League season.
The coming of age of Robertson was a timely gift for Liverpool amid Moreno's stock hitting rock bottom among the Anfield faithful. The Spaniard almost single-handedly cost Klopp from lifting his first European trophy at Liverpool in Basel, where they eventually came out second best to Unai Emery's Sevilla in the 2016 UEFA Europa League Final.
From nearly a nobody to arguably the most complete left-back in the world, Andy Robertson has come a long, long way since signing for Liverpool. From a Championship chaser to a Champions League winner, the Scottish captain grew in stature and has established himself as one of the best defenders in the world.
At 25 years of age, he has plenty left to offer the European Champions.
Also check out: Champions League Schedule Champions League table Champions league top scorers
4. Alisson Becker
Reported fee: €62.50m
Liverpool, for a few brief years, were in dire need of an upgrade in terms of the goalkeeping standards at the club. Simon Mignolet was entrusted with the duty to guard the goal but has an assortment of high-profile errors and misjudgements to his name. None of them, though, cost Liverpool as dearly as Loris Karius' unceremonious performance in the 2017/18 Champions League final.
The German was recruited for a mere €6.2m after an impressive spell at Mainz and was supposedly a competitor to Mignolet's spot. He eventually was replaced after his two unbelievable errors in the UCL final against Real Madrid, essentially costing Liverpool the trophy.
The man who replaced him, though, guarded Liverpool's goal valiantly on all fronts and led them to glory.
Klopp's side evidently knew what they were paying for when they shelled out a then-world record fee of €62.50m for Alisson Becker from AS Roma. This move provided Klopp with not only an excellent shot-stopper but also an incredibly well-rounded goalkeeper who is arguably only bested by Marc-Andre ter Stegen in terms of distribution.
Alisson was impeccable for Liverpool from the get-go and has been nothing short of a box office signing for the Reds. He's gone on to win a host of collective and individual awards for his achievements since the big-money move and has repeatedly pulled off some stunning saves to keep Liverpool on numerous occasions. A case can be made for him being the best goalkeeper in the world at the moment, having racked up 23 clean sheets in 47 Premier League matches and conceding just 27 goals in the process.
At just 27 years of age, he can go on to create a legacy for himself at Anfield and with the Brazilian national team.
3. Sadio Mane
Reported fee: €41.20m
In the summer of 2016, Liverpool raised plenty of eyebrows when they made Southampton's Sadio Mane the most expensive African player in football history, signing him for an estimated fee of €41.20m.
148 games, 72 goals, 32 assists, and more than 3 years later, the Senegalese winger is a Champions League winner, African Cup of Nations finalist, Premier League Golden Boot winner and is currently leading Liverpool's charge for the English title from the front.
The former RB Salzburg man is an electrifying inside forward capable of tearing defences apart and scoring goals at will. Mane is a superb finisher and brings a certain intensity to the box. On top of his ability to score goals and being able to win games, Mane is also a willing runner which helps him press effectively and help out the team defensively as well.
Mane has truly thrived in Klopp's high-octane brand of football and is arguably one of the best forwards in the Premier League and Europe. His unprecedented rise to the pinnacle of the game was even commended by 6-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi, saying,
It's a shame to see Mane finish in fourth place (in the Ballon d'Or standings)
Considering that the Senegalese is just 27, Mane could continue providing the Reds with more iconic goals and (imitated) celebrations for years to come.
2. Mohamed Salah
Reported fee: €42m
Liverpool broke their then-transfer record to bring Mohamed Salah back to the Premier League from AS Roma in 2017, signing him for an estimated fee of €42m. The Egyptian did, of course, have prior experience playing in the English top-flight, notably under Jose Mourinho's Chelsea in 2014.
If his first stint wasn't a memorable one, his second has most certainly made up for it and can go on to become one of the most memorable moves in Premier League history.
Salah has played for Liverpool 128 times across all competitions and has directly contributed to a whopping 120 goals and assists (84 goals, 36 assists) and has had two record-breaking seasons with Liverpool. The Egyptian broke Alan Shearer's long-standing goalscoring record in a single season, smashing 32 goals and registering 11 assists in 36 Premier League games.
The former AS Roma man has already posted better numbers with the Reds than other Anfield icons such as Luis Suarez and Fernando Torres, while also having a Champions League winners' medal, Club World Cup winners' medal, a PFA Player of the Year award and two consecutive Premier League Golden Boots to show for in his time in Merseyside.
Salah already has 9 goals and 4 assists from 14 Premier League outings so far and is arguably the best player in the Premier League. At 27, if the former Chelsea man decides to commit his long-term future to the Reds, he could possibly go down as one of the greatest players in Premier League and most certainly Liverpool history.
1. Virgil van Dijk
Reported fee: €84.65m
How could have there been a shadow of a doubt regarding the ultimate spot on this list? After the sort of year (and career) that Virgil van Dijk has had with Liverpool, there is hardly room for any doubt.
Liverpool's colossus in defence has been the gold standard for central defenders since his record-shattering move from Southampton back in the winter window of the 2017/18 season. Having moved for a fee of €84.65m (£75m) to Anfield, both the club and player were subjected to the brutality of keyboard warriors all over social media, mocking the big-money move.
This transfer has, however, single-handedly turned the fortunes of a perennially struggling defence, taking them from a mid-table backline to that of the champions of Europe.
The former Celtic man has it all: he's mighty strong, imperious on the ball, aggressive in the air, a clean tackler and most of all, an unbelievable reader of the game. Van Dijk's presence and presence gives Liverpool the sort of confidence their other outfield players need to venture up the pitch, often bailing the team out with his sublimely timed interventions at the most crucial moments.
The Dutchman has won innumerable accolades over the past year or so, having lost out to Barcelona's Lionel Messi in the running for the Ballon d'Or. He was named UEFA Player of the Year and Defender of the Season, PFA Player of the Year, and Premier League Player of the Year for his herculean performances over the 2018/19 season. Additionally, considering Liverpool's 10-point lead at the summit of the Premier League table, van Dijk is perhaps a soon-to-be Premier League winner as well.
Of all of Klopp's signings, he has arguably been the greatest and is on the path to becoming one of the most complete central defenders of this generation.
Virgil van Dijk could go down as one of Liverpool's greatest ever transfers in their illustrious history.
