Who is the most expensive Liverpool player of all time?

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish alongside January signings Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez in 2011.
Two major Liverpool signings from the January 2011 window (Image credit: Getty Images)

Liverpool is one of the most successful clubs in England - so naturally they've signed one or two big players over the decades.

The Reds have broken the British transfer record on numerous occasions and famously were involved in the first £500,000 transfer for an English player when they sold Kevin Keegan to Hamburg in 1977.

Then in 1995, Liverpool paid £8.5million to sign striker Stan Collymore. But transfer fees have come a long way since. So who is now the most expensive Liverpool player of all time?

Who is the most expensive Liverpool player of all time?

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk

Virgil van Dijk cost £75m when signed from Southampton (Image credit: Getty Images)

The title of Liverpool's most expensive signing goes to Virgil van Dijk who cost £75million back in 2018 when signed from Southampton.

The big Dutch centre-back also broke the transfer record at the time for a deal between two English clubs.

However, it comes with a caveat. Darwin Nunez could end up costing just below £85million if all the add-ons are met. However, as a regular in the first team he should cost at least £75million by the time his contract is up - meaning the Uruguayan forward is set to equal the record.

For now though, with not all performance add-ons currently met, van Dijk is - officially for now - the record holder.

Who held the all time record transfer fee for a Liverpool player before van Dijk?

Christian Benteke

Christian Benteke enjoyed a mixed spell at Anfield

Prior to a jump in transfer fees following a new Premier League television deal in 2016, Christian Benteke was Liverpool's record purchase.

The Belgian forward cost £38million, an initial £32m from Aston Villa before add-ons. This took him narrowly ahead of Andy Carroll, who cost £35million when signed from Newcastle United on January 2011 transfer deadline day.

This, temporarily, made Carroll the most expensive British transfer in history, but Liverpool were about to sell Fernando Torres to Chelsea for £50million, eclipsing the fee.

Prior to Carroll's shock move to Anfield, Torres himself was Liverpool's most expensive transfer. The Spanish forward cost £31million when moving from Atletico Madrid in 2007.

Fernando Torres

Fernando Torres was Liverpool's record buy back in 2007 (Image credit: Getty)

The full list of the top 10 most expensive Liverpool footballers of all time

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Rank

Price

Player

From

To

1

£75m

Virgil van Dijk

Southampton

Liverpool

2

£70m* potential to rise to £85m with add-ons

Darwin Nunez

Benfica

Liverpool

3

£66.8m

Alisson

Parma

Liverpool

4

£60m

Dominik Szoboszlai

RB Leipzig

Liverpool

5

£48m

Naby Keita

PSG

Liverpool

6

£39m

Luis Diaz

AC Milan

Liverpool

7

£39m

Fabinho

Monaco

Liverpool

8

£38m

Christian Benteke

Aston Villa

Liverpool

9

£35m

Alexis Mac Allister

Brighton

Liverpool

10

£35m

Andy Carroll

Newcastle United

Liverpool

Jack Lacey-Hatton
Freelance writer

Jack has worked as a sports reporter full-time since 2021. He previously worked as the Chief Women’s Football Writer at the Mirror, covering the England Women’s national team and the Women’s Super League. Jack has reported on a number of major sporting events in recent years including the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup on the ground in Australia. When not writing on football, he can often be spotted playing the game somewhere in west London.