The January transfer window has proven a difficult market to master and Liverpool have sometimes made missteps in their pursuit of reinforcements.
Since the winter window opened during the 2002/03 campaign, the Reds have conducted some disastrous deals. Andy Carroll, Steven Caulker and Ozan Kabak have all been notable clangers and the list doesn’t stop there.
However, their miscalculations have been cancelled out by some truly transformative signings arriving as late Christmas gifts, many of whom have spearheaded Liverpool’s revolution in the modern era.
Here are Liverpool’s five best January signings.
Luis Diaz performed exactly the function expected of a winter signing. Arriving midway through 2021/22 as Liverpool chased a historic quadruple, the Colombian breathed fresh life into the Merseysiders, helping the club secure a domestic cup double even if they fell short in the Premier League and Champions League.
He provided six goals and five assists during his first half-season at Anfield and has gone on to produce greater numbers in his subsequent years – bar an injury-hit 2022/23 campaign.
The indefatigable winger stakes his claim as one of the world’s most devastating wide men, with blistering speed, endless work rate and flashy feet. He’s far from finished in his hunt for silverware with the Reds.
While Daniel Sturridge’s career was littered with agonising and relentless injuries, the fluid centre-forward was undeniably exceptional in his pomp. Liverpool enjoyed the peak of his powers after striking a £12m deal with rivals Chelsea in 2013.
Sturridge oozed class during his days in red and boasted a left foot capable of toppling defences, with his first full season at Anfield ending with 24 goals and seven assists in all competitions as Liverpool came close to a surprise Premier League triumph under Brendan Rodgers.
The England forward’s wizardry was less consistent thereafter as fitness issues began to take their toll, but he still finished his Liverpool career with 67 goals in 160 outings.
The arrival of Philippe Coutinho wasn’t met with significant fanfare. The young Brazilian was an unknown quantity that Inter allowed to depart San Siro for as little as £8.5m. However, he swiftly became one of the most exceptional and cost-effective signings of the Premier League era.
Coutinho quickly found his feet at Anfield, garnering a reputation for frequent moments of unadulterated magic. Nifty skills and defence-splitting passes caught the eye, but a stream of long-range worldies epitomised the wonder of Liverpool’s diminutive playmaker.
Coutinho provided no fewer than 12 combined goals and assists during all of his four full seasons at Anfield, and even proved a transformative departure as Liverpool fetched £142m for him. That money was wisely reinvested as Jurgen Klopp’s Reds grew into an all-conquering force.
Speaking of unfiltered sorcery, enter Luis Suarez. It’s difficult to imagine that expectations were higher for £35m Andy Carroll than £22.8m Suarez when the duo signed for Liverpool in January 2011, with the Uruguayan not only outperforming Carroll by a ludicrous margin, but also blossoming into one of the Reds’ finest ever players.
While on-field controversies tarnished his reputation on Merseyside somewhat, there can be no doubts over Suarez’s ridiculous talent. He made the impossible look simple with exceptional regularity, whether it be gravity-defying touches or thunderbolts from range.
He formed a formidable partnership with the aforementioned Sturridge as Liverpool came close to Premier League glory in 2013/14 and what he lacked in longevity on Merseyside he more than made up for with stunning output and consistency.
82 goals and 29 assists in 133 appearances is all that needs to be said.
There could be an argument to be made that no individual signing has been more transformative in Liverpool’s history than Virgil van Dijk. There were question marks over his record-breaking £75m transfer fee but the imperious Dutchman soon made a mockery of that price tag.
A Merseyside derby winner on his debut forewarned Liverpool supporters of his powers, with the now Reds skipper guiding the club to Champions League and Premier League triumphs as he developed into the world’s best centre-back. In an all-time Liverpool XI, Van Dijk would likely be marshalling the back four.
The towering defender made battling the world’s most prolific centre-forwards look nothing more than a doddle, and he has formed impressive partnerships with all those that have lined up alongside him regularly in the heart of the backline.
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