Liverpool have hit gold with several January transfers since the Premier League first adopted the format in 2002/03, so here are their top-five winter signings of all time.
The Premier League introduced the summer and January transfer window format during the 2002/03 season. It and the European Commission agreed to a compromise to regulate when players could move between sides, whilst also protecting clubs and the footballing economy.
Before the Premier League introduced the two-window format, all teams including Liverpool could sign players up to March 31. But the Reds were already accustomed to shopping in set windows as UEFA had already enforced set markets before the Premier League came in line.
Liverpool’s all-time top signings in the January transfer window
Liverpool have often tackled the January transfer window with a reluctance to target rushed transfers. The Reds rarely get embroiled in any of the panic spending and regularly limit the incomings at Anfield. But some seasons have necessitated activity and high-ticket transfers.
Anfield chiefs opted against making any signings during the first January transfer window in 2003. Liverpool then welcomed Paul Jones on loan from Southampton as their first January signing in the 2004 transfer window. So, with that in mind, here are their all-time top deals…
5) Daniel Agger (Brondby IF – Liverpool, January 2006)
Daniel Agger enjoyed eight-and-a-half years at Anfield after signing for Liverpool in January 2006 in a £6m transfer. The centre-half would later return to Brondby IF in August 2014 for £3m. His net £3m cost returned 232 appearances for Liverpool, plus 14 goals and 11 assists.
The 75-cap Denmark enforcer further acted as the Reds vice-captain during his final year on Merseyside. Agger helped Liverpool cope with the retirement of Jamie Carragher before the Brondby product returned to his academy side. He later retired in Copenhagen in July 2016.
Agger firmly established himself as a Liverpool hero and one of their best January signings of all time. The Hvidovre native was a classy operator who helped to take the EFL Cup over the 2011/12 season. But injuries often limited Agger’s availability for various Reds managers.
4) Philippe Coutinho (Inter Milan – Liverpool, January 2013)
Liverpool signed and even later sold Philippe Coutinho in January transfer windows in 2013 and 2018. He returned the Reds a potential profit of £133.5m, as well, having cost £8.5m to sign from Inter Milan before Barcelona spent an initial £105m rising to £142m with add-ons.
Coutinho convinced the Blaugrana to pay so much after offering Liverpool 54 goals and 45 assists in 201 games. The Brazilian maestro further bagged 41 of his goals and 37 assists in 152 Premier League matches. He influenced an English top-flight goal once per 146 minutes.
Barcelona even swooped amid Coutinho’s most prolific period with Liverpool in the January 2018 transfer window. He had penned seven goals and six assists in only 14 Premier League matches, of which the Rio de Janeiro native even adopted the Reds’ captaincy in two games.
3) Javier Mascherano (West Ham United – Liverpool, January 2007)
Javier Mascherano had hardly set the world alight at West Ham United after moving to the Premier League from Corinthians in August 2006. Yet Rafa Benitez relished the talent of the Little Chief after he switched to Anfield on an initial 18-month loan swoop in January 2007.
Liverpool would ultimately secure his permanent transfer in February 2008 after issues with Mascherano’s third-party ownership by the Media Sports Investments consortium. He firmly cemented a vital role after a bit-part place at Upton Park, where he played just 394 minutes.
The defensive midfielder would only stay at Liverpool through until August 2010, though, as Barcelona sealed a transfer. Mascherano departed Merseyside having played 139 games for two goals and seven assists. He also helped them into the 2006/07 Champions League final.
2) Luis Suarez (AFC Ajax – Liverpool, January 2011)
The 2010/11 Premier League season was proving tough for Liverpool with the Reds seventh in the standings as Luis Suarez signed from AFC Ajax in a deadline day January transfer. The Uruguay forward cost the Reds £23m but he would help to turn their fortunes fully around.
Barcelona eventually prised Suarez away from Anfield for £75m in July 2014 after the striker scored 82 and assisted 46 goals in 133 Liverpool matches. He scored 69 and assisted 39 in 110 Premier League outings. Suarez also got 31 and created 17 in the 13/14 top-flight term.
His efforts that term further helped Liverpool to challenge for the Premier League title. They ended the 13/14 campaign as the runners-up by two points to Manchester City with Suarez the division’s top scorer. A great return after Liverpool rejected Arsenal’s £40m plus £1 offer.
Liverpool set Arsenal a £55m price tag in July 2013 when the Gunners’ second offer angered Anfield chiefs. They initially bid £30m plus £5m in add-ons but did not trip the release clause in his contract. Suarez struck 23 goals and 11 assists in the 2012/13 Premier League season.
1) Virgil van Dijk (Southampton – Liverpool, January 2018)
Liverpool signed the Reds’ all-time best January transfer Virgil van Dijk from Southampton in 2018 for £75m transfer. The Saints had accepted the offer in December 2017 after blocking a move during the previous summer. It was also a world record fee for a defender at the time.
Van Dijk has more than justified the fee, however, and now serves as the Merseyside outfit’s captain. He took over their armband when Jordan Henderson quit for Saudi Arabian club Al-Ettifaq in July 2023. The Dutchman was already the brick wall that brought silverware back.
Van Dijk helped Liverpool to win their first top-flight title in 30 years in the 2019/20 Premier League campaign. He also helped the Reds to lift the 2018/19 Champions League title, after which UEFA made the Dutchman the first defender to win its Men’s Player of the Year gong.
Liverpool would even not lose a Premier League game at Anfield from signing Van Dijk until October 2022. Leeds United ended his 70-match unbeaten run on Merseyside in which the Reds won 59 times. He also helped them secure 37 clean sheets to only 48 goals conceded.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
