Jurgen Klopp’s 10 best signings as Liverpool manager – ranked
Michael Edwards might get plenty of credit for Liverpool’s successful transfer business in recent years, but manager Jurgen Klopp still had to get the best out of his new recruits.
The Reds have became synonymous with successful deals in the market since the German took over, identifying supreme talent to fit into his all-action and demanding style of play.
Having inherited a squad featuring the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino and Jordan Henderson, Klopp consistently added to his roster with smart recruitment that ultimately played a major role in their Champions League and Premier League successes of 2019 and 2020 respectively.
Here are Klopp’s top ten signings at Liverpool, ranked.
After an injury-affected 2022/23 campaign, Diogo Jota is looking like his consistent self again.
The Portugal international has easily suited Klopp’s high-energy style since arriving from Wolves in 2020 and is a hard-working option who complements the likes of Nunez and Mohamed Salah.
A proven Premier League performer, Jota can miss out from time to time with knocks but has scored some big goals during his time on Merseyside.
There’s still time for Ibrahima Konate’s reputation to grow, but there’s no doubting that the Frenchman is starting to look like the real deal in his third season with Liverpool.
His recovery pace and aware positioning have made Konate an excellent foil for Virgil van Dijk in recent years.
Brought in for £36m from RB Leipzig after Liverpool triggered his release clause but still just 24, Konate is only going to get better.
Joel Matip was long known to Klopp from their overlapping spells in the Bundesliga and the free transfer that took the defender to Liverpool is one of their shrewdest in recent memory.
While the former Cameroon international has struggled with injuries, he formed a dominant centre-back partnership with Van Dijk when fit.
His assist for Divock Origi also sealed the Reds‘ 2019 Champions League final triumph over Tottenham.
Man-management has long been a strength of Klopp’s. Perhaps his benching of Georginio Wijnaldum in the Champions League semi-final second leg was his greatest psychological victory?
Wijlnaldum would famously score twice in their historic comeback against Barcelona but he was also a key cog in Liverpool’s pressing machine, forcing opposition mistakes and working tirelessly.
The Dutchman was readily available and rarely struggled with injury, making 237 appearances in his five seasons on Merseyside.
Klopp took a little time to fully integrate Fabinho in his starting XI at Anfield, but once the Brazilian made himself undroppable, his arrival from Monaco looked a snip at an initial £39m.
The Brazilian added balance to the Reds midfield while Wijnaldum, Jordan Henderson and James Milner snapped and harried further ahead.
Fabinho could also pop up with the odd crucial goal from range, but it was his imposing defensive strengths that made his move a success.
Liverpool made Sadio Mane the most expensive African player of all-time when they picked him up from Southampton for £34m in 2016.
The Senegal international scored on his Reds debut in a 4-3 win at Arsenal and formed part of one of the deadliest attacking trios in Premier League history alongside Salah and Firmino.
Mane was able to display his vast set of skills under Klopp’s tutelage and while things haven’t gone incredibly well for him since the ill-fated move to Bayern Munich, the forward remains one of Klopp’s greatest signings.
Signed for £10m from Hull City, Andy Robertson’s move to Anfield will go down as one of the bargains of the century.
The Scottish left-back quickly developed into an all-action star for Liverpool, pressing high up the pitch and laying on dozens of assists for his attacking teammates.
He continues to jostle with Trent Alexander-Arnold to be the Premier League’s all-time leading assister from defence, but it’s his duels at the back that made Robertson a hit.
Arriving in 2018 from Roma, Alisson Becker was the final piece of the puzzle for Klopp’s Liverpool.
Loris Karius had made costly mistakes in the Champions League final and a replacement was sorely needed. Brazilian Alisson was snapped up and is now regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world – even if he is strangely left off the shortlists for global awards.
As well as impressing with his shot-stopping, one-on-one aura and impeccable distribution, Alisson also became the first ever scoring goalkeeper in Liverpool’s history.
Virgil van Dijk was Klopp’s most expensive signing at Liverpool until Nunez’s arrival in 2022 – the Dutchman cost £75m from Southampton, making him the priciest defender ever before he was surpassed by Harry Maguire and Josko Gvardiol.
Van Dijk immediately endeared himself to Reds fans with the winner in the FA Cup on debut against local rivals Everton and has been the Premier League’s standout centre-back of recent times, the odd blip aside.
His arrival fixed a previously leaky Liverpool defence and he has often brought the best out of his teammates, being named club captain in 2023.
At the top of the signings tree, there can only be one player. Funnily enough, Mohamed Salah wasn’t a transfer target Jurgen Klopp pined for in the market, with the likes of Christian Pulisic, Julian Draxler and Julian Brandt all favoured at some point.
Never before has a sports analytical department been proven so right.
The Egyptian has become an all-time great at Anfield, never scoring fewer than 23 goals in a full season and powering the Reds to all sorts of silverware.
Salah has a great opportunity to hit 30 goals in all competitions in 2023/24 and his on-field success could be the difference between Klopp lifting cups or ending his Merseyside reign empty-handed. No pressure, Mo.