With a long list of transfer successes over the last decade, it is not an easy job picking the best of the bunch, but we got the view from Ian Graham, who played a role in Liverpool’s transfers.
Liverpool’s recruitment processes and team were revered during the Jurgen Klopp days, with their shrewd moves and use of data setting them apart from the rest.
As the former director of research at the club, Graham was a key figure in the background as Liverpool plotted their way to silverware, and he is in a strong position to give his view on the best recent transfers.
“A lot of my favourite signings Jurgen liked the player, and [then] they came, that was a huge part of the success because if the manager likes the player they’re going to use the player,” Graham explained.
As he was “not sure about the order” if starting from the best, he opted to tell This Is Anfield his top six signings chronologically – let’s see if you agree with the selection!
Daniel Sturridge – “So quick but so skilful”
Signed: 2013
Fee: £12 million
“Absolutely delighted to sign Sturridge. Incredible player. Because he was such a prolific goalscorer, people think of him as just a goalscorer, but he brought so much more to the game.
“He’s so creative, so quick but so skilful. The game at Craven Cottage in 2013, and he just turned the game around.
“That he was available for that price from Chelsea was insane.
“In the book, there’s a chapter about Messi vs. Ronaldo – it was edited out – but I talked about some of the pretenders to the throne.
“If you look at Sturridge’s numbers on a per 90 basis for goals and assists, he’s not Messi or Ronaldo, but he’s up there in the conversation for being a top 10 player in the last 10-15 years.
“He just didn’t get enough minutes through injuries.”
Joel Matip – “He was so underrated”
Signed: 2016
Fee: Free
“On a free transfer, incredible that such a player was available on a free transfer. I loved Matip.
“He’d probably be my No. 1 signing just because he was so underrated by everyone else.
“Even after three seasons of playing for Liverpool when he brings the ball out of defence and slots a 30-yard pass through midfield for fun, and the opposition players still give him loads of space because they are underrating him.
“The world underrated Joel Matip, and he was phenomenal for Liverpool. Again, I just wish we’d seen more minutes from Joel.”
Sadio Mane – “Super player”
Signed: 2016
Fee: £30 million
“Sadio has to go on the list as well. I don’t know how it became a story, but there was a story in the press that data had turned down Sadio Mane. It was completely wrong.
“At the time you can’t talk to the press if you work at the club unless the press officer gives you the OK. So we couldn’t get the real story out there.
“I met Ralf Ragnick when he was sporting director at Red Bull and Mane was tearing up the Europa League in 2014, I think it was, and I was like ‘this is a super player’.
“Jurgen had regretted not signing him at Dortmund.”
Andy Robertson – “One of the world’s best”
Signed: 2017
Fee: £8 million
“Robertson goes alongside Joel as underrated. My doubts with Robertson was [that he was] one of the best attacking full-backs in the Premier League before we signed him, but his defending was difficult to gauge.
“Hull had been the worst defending team in the league and he was relegated that season. He was one of the top left-backs to sign that summer, but it was like ‘What about his defending?
“But it was Jurgen saying attacking is the most important thing for full-backs, we can cover him if he’s not a good defender.
“The thing I love about Robertson is today he is one of the world’s best defensive full-backs as well as attacking full-backs.”
Mohamed Salah – “Has to go on list”
Signed: 2017
Fee: £36.9 million
“It’s boring to say Mo, but he has to go on the list.”
Fabinho – “Brilliant for many seasons”
Signed: 2018
Fee: £43 million
“I really loved the Fabinho signing. I thought he was underrated, and I loved how no one knew about the signing.
“We looked at him two or three years previously as a right-back but then Trent emerged as a right-back.
“I loved the fact that all the stars who won the Ligue 1 title with Monaco had left but no one seemed to want Fabinho. He wasn’t a cheap signing, but he was brilliant for us for many seasons.
“I loved him because he could play right-back as well, and then he never played right-back for us!”
You can purchase Ian’s book, How to Win the Premier League: The Inside Story of Football’s Data Revolution, here.
Watch and listen to the full chat with Ian in a 50-minute podcast episode, here.
