da marjack bet： As the legendary German manager bids farewell to Anfield, GOAL counts down the best buys of his nine-year tenure
da cassino： Jurgen Klopp's time as Liverpool manager is almost at an end – and it's been one hell of a ride. The Reds were in utter disarray when he took over from Brendan Rodgers in October 2015, a once-great club in real danger of becoming an irrelevance. Klopp quickly set about arresting the decline before eventually putting Liverpool back on their perch, winning a first English title for three decades, in the summer of 2020 – just one year after leading the Merseysiders to their sixth European Cup.
His charisma, coaching skills and powers of motivation were all key but, in conjunction with Liverpool's transfer team, he also bought ridiculously well, making one smart signing after another.
Below, GOAL ranks Klopp's best buys during his nine-year tenure…
Getty10Luis Diaz (January 2022, £47m)
Liverpool intended to sign the Colombian in the summer of 2022, but Tottenham's move for Diaz during the January window forced the Reds into the market earlier than anticipated. It didn't take long for the fans to realise just why Klopp & Co. felt they couldn't afford to miss out on the Porto winger, either.
Diaz hit the ground running at Anfield, playing a pivotal role in the quadruple bid as he rapidly went about establishing himself as the best dribbler at the club – and the team's best attacking option on the left flank. The heroic way in which he dealt with his father's kidnapping in 2023 only further endeared him to the club's supporters.
AdvertisementGetty 9Joel Matip (July 2016, free)
The former Cameroon international may never have received universal acclaim in England, but he'll forever be a cult hero at Anfield, beloved for both his quirky personality and impressive performances in defence, most notably during the quadruple bid of 2021-22.
Matip may have been cruelly plagued by injury, which almost inevitably brought a premature end to his time at Liverpool, but the Reds got eight seasons of service out of the free transfer from Schalke, who will always be fondly remembered for his assist in the 2019 Champions League final win over Tottenham.
Getty Images8Diogo Jota (September 2020, £41m)
Eyebrows were raised when Liverpool paid such a significant sum of money for a player that had scored just nine Premier League goals the season before. However, the Reds had done their homework on Jota, who wasn't just a forward of enormous potential, but also a perfect fit for Klopp's pressing football.
Were it not for injuries, Jota would have an even better strike-rate for Liverpool, but he's already done enough to be considered one of the finest finishers to have ever played for the club.
Getty7Gini Wijnaldum (July 2016, £23m)
Liverpool took advantage of Newcastle United's relegation to snap up Netherlands international Wijnaldum, who proved his valuable versatility and incredible footballing intelligence by adapting to a deeper role at Anfield to become a key contributor to the team that conquered Europe – and then the world.
Wijnaldum sealed legendary status for himself with his two-goal salvo in the miraculous Champions League win over Barcelona in 2019, but many supporters arguably only realised the true importance of Wijnaldum, whom Klopp described as "a manager's dream", as the Reds struggled to replace him after his departure on a free transfer to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.