Liverpool have consistently challenged for football's biggest honours since 2017/18, but have done so with a far tighter budget than their competitors.
The Reds have spent big on some stars in the past, but just as many have been shrewd signings, getting excellent value for money. Curiously, Liverpool are yet to complete an incoming transfer this season, but new boss Arne Slot will be hoping to make just as shrewd moves in the market as his predecessor.
Liverpool most expensive signings: The top 5
| Liverpool most expensive signings | Joined from | Fee | Goals (Apps) | Honours with club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇾Darwin Núñez (ST) | Benfica | £72m | 20 (65) | EFL Cup (2024) |
| 🇳🇱Virgil van Dijk (CB) | Southampton | £72m | 18 (197) | Premier League (2020) FA Cup (2022) EFL Cup (2022, 2024) UEFA Champions League (2019) FIFA Club World Cup (2019) |
| 🇺🇾Dominik Szoboszlai (CAM) | RB Leipzig | £60m | 3 (33) | EFL Cup (2024) |
| 🇧🇷Alisson (GK) | AS Roma | £53m | 1 (201) | Premier League (2020) FA Cup (2022) EFL Cup (2022) UEFA Champions League (2019) FIFA Club World Cup (2019) |
| 🇧🇷Naby Keita (CM) | RB Leipzig | £51m | 7 (84) | Premier League (2020) FA Cup (2022) EFL Cup (2022) UEFA Champions League (2019) FIFA Club World Cup (2019) |
1) Darwin Núñez – £72m
Topping our list is Liverpool's number nine, Darwin Núñez, though he ranks just 10th in the Premier League's all-time transfer records to date. The Uruguay striker was signed for a £72m base fee in 2022 from Benfica.
Núñez squeezes Virgil van Dijk off top spot, as his transfer included significant add-ons that could see his final fee rise substantially.
The 25-year-old has had mixed fortunes at Anfield so far. The powerful striker is phenomenally quick and strong, with excellent movement. He averages an impressive 0.75 goals and assists across his Premier League career so far.
But, the other side to Núñez is his inconsistency, with some costly misses in front of goal costing Liverpool dearly as they slipped out of the title race.
2) Virgil van Dijk – £72m
There is no disputing that Virgil van Dijk is value for money, however. The 33-year-old Dutch international has been arguably the best central defender in Europe in his six-and-a-half season on Merseyside.
Van Dijk's £72m fee was questioned when he joined from Southampton in January 2018, but all doubters have long been vanquished.
The former Celtic defender is the complete package, physically dominant, intelligent, calm, skilled with the ball at his feet and blessed with searing recovery pace, should he ever need to use it.
3) Dominik Szoboszlai – £60m
Liverpool splashed the cash to replace outgoing captain Jordan Henderson in 2023, bringing in talented Hungarian midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai.
Joining from RB Leipzig for £60m, Szoboszlai made an immediate impression on the Anfield faithful with phenomenal strikes from distance against Leicester City and West Ham.
Overall though, his performances have been a little more middling, as the 23-year-old suffered from injuries in the second half of the season.
4) Alisson – £53m
Arguably just as transformational a signing as van Dijk, Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson has repaid every penny of the fee that brought him from Roma with considerable interest.
Alisson makes match-winning saves, distributes tidily with his feet, is aggressive, claiming long balls and crosses, and even scored a late winner against West Brom in March 2021 to help secure a Champions League odyssey that so nearly ended in a seventh European crown for Liverpool.
5) Naby Keita – £51m
Another signing from RB Leipzig, Liverpool splashed out on Naby Keita in 2018 after two superb Bundesliga campaigns.
Keita was supposed to reinvigorate the Reds' midfield, and add more guile and creativity to their more functional, high-pressing side of the time.
But unfortunately for Keita, he could never really get into a steady rhythm on Merseyside, as he suffered from injury after injury.
The Guinean never made more than 16 Premier League starts in a season, and only made 84 league appearances over his five years at the club.
