Liverpool's five most expensive January transfers of all time

Cameron Smith

• 17 Jan 2025 15:00 CST
• 4 min read

Liverpool have been smart operators in the transfer market over the last decade, but they have still spent huge sums to attract some of the best players in world football to the club.

Most notably, the Reds finally ended their Premier League title drought in 2020 with the help of one extremely expensive January arrival.

Below, FootballTransfers runs through Liverpool’s five most expensive January transfers of all time.

READ MORE: Liverpool's 10 most expensive transfers of all time

5. Luis Suarez - €26.5m (from Ajax, 2011)

Luis Suarez was involved in a transfer merry-go-round on 31 January 2011 as he joined Liverpool for €26.5 million following Fernando Torres’ move to Chelsea.

The Uruguay legend was almost always in the spotlight during his time at the club, but he certainly became one of the world’s best players at Anfield.

Suarez netted 82 goals in 133 games for Liverpool and he eventually left to join Barcelona for €81.7m in 2014.

READ MORE: Liverpool's 10 biggest sales of all time

4. Andy Carroll - €41m (from Newcastle, 2011)

In addition to Suarez, Liverpool also signed Newcastle United forward Andy Carroll on Transfer Deadline Day in January 2011, with the pair intended to fill the hole left by Torres’ departure.

Carroll became Liverpool’s most expensive signing of all time when he joined the club for €41m after registering 11 goals and eight assists during the first half of the 2010-11 Premier League season.

However, he failed to hit the heights expected of him at Anfield, and after only managing 11 goals in 58 appearances for Liverpool, he left the club to join West Ham United in 2012.

3. Cody Gakpo - €42m (from PSV, 2023)

Cody Gakpo was widely expected to join Manchester United in January 2023, but Liverpool hijacked the move at the last minute and completed a €42m deal for the PSV winger.

Gakpo had netted three goals for the Netherlands during the Qatar World Cup and Liverpool were persuaded to make him their third-most expensive January signing of all time as a result.

He left PSV with 159 appearances, 55 goals and five trophies won.

2. Luis Diaz - €53m (from Porto, 2022)

Luis Diaz was impressive without being extraordinary during his first two seasons at Porto, but he registered 16 goals and six assists in the first half of the 2021-22 campaign, which prompted Liverpool to splash €53m on him in January 2022.

The Colombian has established himself as a key player at Anfield since his arrival, with Sadio Mane even forced to move into a centre forward position during his final few months at the club due to Diaz’s immense form.

1. Virgil van Dijk - €84.7m (from Southampton, 2018)

Virgil van Dijk is the most expensive January signing in Liverpool’s history. The Dutch defender joined the club from Southampton for a whopping €84.7m in January 2018, following months of interest from the Anfield side.

Van Dijk became the priciest defender in world football at the time of his transfer, smashing Benjamin Mendy’s previous record of €57.5m.

The Dutchman left Southampton having made 80 appearances for the club, and he helped Liverpool win the Champions League and the Premier League during his first two full seasons with the Reds.

Liverpool’s five most expensive January transfers of all time