The Best Premier League Transfers Ever: Luis Suarez to Liverpool (2010/11)

Paul Macdonald

• Updated: 20 May 2021 11:26 BST
• 3 min read

Luis Suarez arrived in Liverpool in January 2011 as a relatively unknown striker from Dutch giants Ajax. He left as one of the club’s greatest ever players.

The Uruguayan’s time in England wasn’t without controversy, but he’s best remembered for his outrageous goals, unbelievable work rate and world-class quality.

This article is part of FootballTransfers’ greatest-ever Premier League deals. We have selected just one standout transfer from every season of the Premier League, including two honourable mentions. This list will then be gathered to provide a definitive list of the best pieces of business in the Premier League era.

Luis Suarez, Ajax to Liverpool, £23.8m

When Fernando Torres left Liverpool to join Premier League rivals, Chelsea, in a £50m deal, everyone presumed the Anfield outfit were waving goodbye to one of the world’s leading strikers.

In truth, Torres was in decline, and the Spaniard’s departure made room in Kenny Dalglish’s squad for one of European football’s deadliest finishers.

Suarez arrived on English shores in a £23.8m deal after scoring 48 goals in 49 games the previous season. The then 24-year-old had also – quite literally – played a hand in his countries run to the World Cup semi-finals just six months earlier.

The Reds were going through a turbulent time on and off the pitch during Suarez’s time in Merseyside, but the forward’s incredible talent fired them to within touching distance of their maiden Premier League crown.

After winning the League Cup in his first full season at the club, the South American was instrumental in Liverpool’s title charge in 2013/14 under Brendan Rodgers.

His 31 goal haul saw Suarez equal the goalscoring record for a 38-game Premier League campaign and claim the European Golden Shoe alongside being named the PFA Players Player of the Year and the FWA Footballer of the Year.

He may have been unable to end Liverpool’s long wait for a top flight title, however, the fact they came so close was in large part to Suarez’s brilliance. He spearheaded their march to within two points of Manchester City, dragging an average squad along with him.

Runners-up: David Silva, Valencia to Manchester City, £25m

David Silva departed the Etihad Stadium this summer, widely regarded as the best player to ever put on a Manchester City shirt.

The diminutive Spaniard helped the Cityzens to 11 major trophies, including four Premier League titles, during his ten-year stint in England.

He contributed 77 goals 141 assists in City colours to etch his name into the club’s history forever. While Suarez was almost a one-man band, Silva was part of one of the league’s most expensively assembled squads, which is why the 34-year-old finds himself in an unfamiliar runner-up role.

Runners-up: Yaya Toure, Barcelona to Manchester City, £27m

When Yaya Toure arrived in England, he was thought of as a utility man thanks to his performance at centre-back in the Champions League final for Barcelona just a few months prior to his move.

The Ivorian quickly dispelled those beliefs with a string of impressive performances in the City engine room, guiding them to FA Cup victory in his first season at the club after netting the winner against Stoke City in the final.

Toure went on to add three Premier League crowns and three League Cups to his trophy collection in his time at the club and will be remembered by City fans as one of their first major signings of the Sheikh Mansour era.