When it comes to signings, as I’m sure Klopp would agree, it’s very much a team effort. Klopp’s real value here is not identifying the player, it’s trusting the brains around him, pulling all that that information together and then working to integrate and improve the player. There is a reason why we’ve gone from signing absolute whoppers to barely getting one wrong under Klopp. It’s because thanks to Klopp the whole process works as it should.
Anyway best signings in the Klopp era.
Impact - Virgil Van Dijk
I can’t remember a more transformative signing for this club than Van Dijk. Klopp harnessed the power of Blackpool Pleasure Beach to woo Virgil, beating away virtually every top club in Europe. Once Jurgen had taken him on the Big Dipper, bought him an ice cream and sold him the project, the big man was smitten. Not even Southampton having a strop because Tom Werner got pissed at a do and started mouthing off could stop it. By January Virgil was a red, and suddenly a fun, exciting team was a deadly serious proposition. The signing of Van Dijk, and the way he instantly elevated everyone around him, was the point where I think a lot of fans thought at some point these are winning the league. A few months after Van Dijk arrived, Liverpool would be in a Champions League final, and might have won it had Sergio Ramos not shithoused Mo Salah.
The story goes that as the fee for Van Dijk nudged past £60m, a spooked Klopp wanted to back out. It was a phone call from John Henry, presumably with Tom Werner sitting in the background with a wet flannel on his head, a can of Irn Bru in his hand and look of regret on his face, to convince Klopp to forget the money. If Virgil was the one, they would get it done. He was worth every penny and more.
I’ve said it many times, I hate him. I hate going up against him. He’s too big, too strong, too quick, too good on the ball, loves fighting, a good head of hair. One of those guys that sprays on his top as well, so it smells lovely! When he runs past you, it’s like 'I can’t catch you, but…‘ Troy Deeney.
Value for Money - Andy Robertson
Who? Left back apparently. Scottish. Got relegated with Hull. £8m I think. Kev Stewart has gone the other way for about the same. Might be a smart bit of business. Can probably back up the real left back when we get him, and we might be able to move him on for a bit of a profit in a few years?
Considering at one point TransferMarkt had him worth £100m and rated as the most valuable left back in world football, I think this can safely be classed as the best £8m this club has ever spent.
Robertson is one of those players who’s worth is underestimated until he isn’t in the side and we remember what he is all about. Calm, great technique, Intelligent, and deceptively quick (Kostas is great, but you really notice the drop in speed - the quickness off the mark, in thought and execution) - and what a final ball. You don’t become the leading assist maker from defence in Premier League history without being able to play a deadly ball exactly where the striker wants it. It’s a testament to what a revelation Joe Gomez has been at left back that this is really the first time Andy has been out of the team and I’ve been unsure about whether to put him straight back in.
Unsung Hero - Gini Wijnaldum
When we signed Gini, one of the banter sites did a thing about Liverpool’s strategy being to buy all the attacking midfielder so no-one else could create a goal.
The club had other ideas for Gini, deploying him as part of workmanlike three man midfield, who’s role was to create the platform for the creativity of the full backs and the forward three to do their thing. I’m not sure it was Gini’s favourite role, and it must have been irritating to see himself consistently topping fan polls asking who we should sell or who can we improve on. But he got on with it, and his work rate, athleticism, intelligence and ability to recycle possession was integral to Klopp’s great team. The very epitome of sacrifice for the team, Gini would go away with the Netherlands, bang in a hat-trick and then come back to Liverpool ready to graft so others could take the limelight.
On one of the few occasions Klopp felt desperate enough to throw him on as an attacker, Gini duly scored two goals, dumped Barca out of the European Cup, broke Messi, and flicked the Vs at everyone who couldn’t see what a humble team player he was.
All Time Legend - Mo Salah
Mohamed Salah could fit into any category you like. But let’s put it like this. When we have conversations about Liverpool’s greatest ever player, that conversation will need to include Mohamed Salah. He is certainly the best African to play in the Premier League. He might be the best foreign player full stop.
Only Rush, Hunt, Hodgson and Liddell are ahead of him on the goal scoring chart, with the latter two well within his sights. For a club that is nearly 140 years old, most of it at the top of the game, that is some achievement.
It goes under the radar a bit that we are watching, in real time, the story of a legend - a bone fide all time great. Like if Bill and Ted were going through history to assemble the greatest Liverpool Team of all time, there is mo way Salah Wouldn’t be in it. Enjoy him, especially because this might be his least season. It will be a long time until we see a player as special as him again.
