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Where are they now? Liverpool’s 10 most expensive January signings

Michael Lee •

Liverpool have managed to strike some bargain deals in the January transfer window over the years and we’ve checked in on their 10 most expensive winter deals.

The Reds are sitting on top of the Premier League, but Jurgen Klopp might ask for winter reinforcements as his side look to push for the title in the second half of the season.

This transfer window can be a difficult one to navigate though and we’ve checked out where Liverpool’s 10 most expensive January signings are today.

Note: all transfer figures used have been gathered from Transfermarkt.

10. Daniel Agger – £6million

Signed from Brondby in 2006, Agger became a cult hero at Liverpool with his committed defending and the occasional howitzer from distance.

After 232 appearances for the Reds, and a further two seasons back at first club Brondby, Agger retired from football in 2016.

He promptly upped sticks and moved to Marbella, where he now focuses on various businesses such as a sewer company and a tattoo-sharing website. Fair enough.

9. Fernando Morientes – £6.3million

Morientes was supposed to be brilliant. Six months after firing Monaco to the Champions League final in 2004, Liverpool forked out a cool £6.3million to bring the Spain striker to Anfield from Real Madrid.

But he left after an underwhelming 18 months in which he scored 12 times in 60 appearances in all competitions, only to bag 19 goals the following season for Valencia.

After a brief spell in management, Morientes most recently pricked the public consciousness with his star turn on the Spanish version of ‘The Masked Singer’ last year.

8. Martin Skrtel – £6.5million

Skrtel enjoyed nine seasons with Liverpool after arriving from Zenit St Petersburg in 2008 and had plenty of memorable moments along the way.

After leaving the club in 2016, the defender had spells in Turkey, Italy and his native Slovakia before retiring from the professional game in 2022.

But you can still catch him playing amateur football for FK Hajskala Raztocno who play in Slovakia’s eighth tier.

“I actually play as the No 10,” Skrtel told The Athletic when discussing his amateur career. “I played a few games as a striker and got a few goals. Now I’ve dropped a bit little deeper. I basically get to run where I want. A free role — a bit like Lionel Messi!”

He’s also cracked the code of reverse-balding…

7. Philippe Coutinho – £7.5million

Coutinho was an absolute joy to watch during his five years at Liverpool.

With twinkle-toed dribbling and the capability of curling the ball home from 35 yards, the Brazilian playmaker became one of the Premier League’s best players before being sold for a whopping £142million to Barcelona in 2018.

But his career had already peaked at Anfield. Following a disappointing spell in Spain, Coutinho joined Aston Villa and had some success in his early days before fading into the background under Unai Emery.

At just 31, he is now on loan in Qatar with Al-Duhail. A real shame.

6. Daniel Sturridge – £12million

Signed from Chelsea in 2013, Sturridge was a force to be reckoned with during his prime.

Injuries have hampered him in his later career though and after short spells with Trabzonspor and Perth Glory, he currently finds himself as a free agent.

These days you can catch him on punditry duty for Sky Sports, although he’s not yet announced his retirement from playing.

5. Luis Suarez – £25million 

Suarez arrived at Anfield in 2011 thinking he’d be linking up with Fernando Torres, only to find himself carrying Liverpool’s attack amidst Andy Carroll’s struggles.

Luckily, the Uruguayan was up to the task. His time at Liverpool wasn’t without controversy, but his 31 goals and 17 assists during the doomed title charge of 2013-14 will live long in the memory.

Nowadays he’s been turning out for Brazilian club Gremio and will join old pal Messi for Inter Miami’s 2024 MLS campaign.

Liverpool's Luis Suarez during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and West Bromwich Albion at England in Liverpool, England, United Kingdom on Oct. 26, 2013.

READ: Celebrating peak 2013-14 Liverpool & Luis Suarez’s unreal 18-yard header

=3. Andy Carroll – £35million

Arriving at Liverpool in a helicopter for a British record £35million fee in 2011 was always going to heap expectation on Carroll’s shoulders, who had only scored 14 top-flight goals before his big move.

“When I was leaving Newcastle for Liverpool, I was in the helicopter on the way down and I had to go to Google to find out who their players were, looking on the phone,” Carroll told the Daily Mail in 2017. “I was signing and I didn’t know who my team-mates would be!

“I knew Stevie and some of the others but not all of them. And I loved it at Newcastle. I wasn’t ready to leave. It came as a shock.

“I’d had a season ticket, it was my club and it was a shock to move. I was 22. I could never get a grip at Liverpool.”

Carroll scored just six goals in 44 league games, before being bundled off to West Ham less than half the initial fee.

Approaching his 35th birthday, the big striker is now producing intermittent flashes of quality for French second-tier outfit Amiens.

=3. Cody Gakpo – £37.2million

Liverpool didn’t waste any time in getting the deal for Gakpo over the line as the Reds struck a deal with PSV prior to the January window opening last year.

The Netherlands international has been in and out of the starting XI since his arrival as Jurgen Klopp will often rotate him with the likes of Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota.

Gakpo isn’t your typical Klopp forward and Jamie Carragher still has some reservations over the £37.2million signing.

“Gakpo has been here for nearly 12 months and he’s had flashes but nowhere near enough,” Carragher told Sky Sports last month.

2. Luis Diaz – £37.5million

Signed as the heir to Sadio Mane’s throne in 2022, Diaz has all the attributes to have a long and successful career at Anfield.

His first half season in English football took the breath away, as the Colombia international provided goals, assists and more tricks than an entire circus troupe.

Liverpool missed him through injury for much of 2022-23, but the winger impressed in the recent victory over Newcastle and will surely be crucial to the Reds’ hopes of winning the Premier League title.

1. Virgil van Dijk – £75million

After missing out on Van Dijk in the summer of 2017, Liverpool decided to wait six months to get their man rather than turn to a different target, and their patience has certainly been justified.

The centre-back joined the Reds in a £75million deal and the rest is history. One of the greatest defenders to ever play for the club.

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