Liverpool’s record transfers and how they fared as Darwin Nunez deal set to take No.1 spot

Liverpool could eventually break their transfer record with the signing of Benfica striker Darwin Nunez.

The Reds are paying an initial £64m for the Uruguayan forward, with add-ons included in the deal set to take the transfer up to £85m and make him Liverpool’s record signing. The former Almeria striker will pen a long-term contract at Anfield with Jurgen Klopp securing the services of one of the most exciting forwards in world football ahead of next season.

There is certainly pressure on the 22-year-old to live up to that billing, whilst there is also added strain to reach the expectations of such a price-tag. Should he be a success on Merseyside, then Nunez is likely to become the club’s all-time record transfer.

Mirror Sport takes a look at the rest of the Reds’ most expensive acquisitions and how they have gone on to fair with Liverpool :

1) Darwin Nunez – up to £85m from Benfica

Whilst he will not immediately become Liverpool’s record transfer should he complete a switch to Anfield, there is expectation that Nunez could reach the add-ons written into the deal. Klopp has elected to swoop for the Benfica hitman after a stunning season in Portugal.

He scored 34 goals in all competitions last term for the Portuguese giants – including two against the Reds in the Champions League quarter-final meeting. It remains to be seen if he can match those numbers at Anfield in the coming seasons.

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2) Virgil van Dijk – £75m from Southampton

Having now been a Liverpool player for four-and-a-half seasons, there is no doubt that the huge fee that the Reds paid Southampton for the Dutch defender was worth it. Having been forced to apologise for making an illegal move for van Dijk, Liverpool finally secured a world record move for the defender in Januar 2018.

He instantly transformed the side’s defence and has gone on to play a key role in Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup and countless more successes under Klopp over the past few seasons.

3) Alisson Becker – £67m from AS Roma

Having struggled to settle on a consistent number one goalkeeper at Anfield, Liverpool set yet another world record with the acquisition of the Brazilian goalkeeper. Arriving from Italian giants AS Roma, he became the most expensive stopper in football history.

Like van Dijk, there is no doubt that his arrival was transformative for the Reds. He has since won two Premier League golden gloves and memorably scored a last minute winner against West Bromwich Albion towards the end of the 2020/21 campaign that was key for the club’s push for a Champions League place.

4) Naby Keita – £52.7m from RB Leipzig

Whilst many of Liverpool’s most expensive signings have gone on to become resounding successes at Anfield, the same cannot quite be said of Naby Keita. The Reds actually swooped for the midfielder a year before he officially joined with his performances for German outlet Leipzig having caught the eye.

He has been unable to string together a consistent run of positive displays though having been in and out of the starting line-up. The 27-year-old now has just a year remaining on his current deal so he will certainly need to improve if he wants to remain at Anfield for the foreseeable future.

5) Fabinho – £42m from AS Monaco

A somewhat surprise signing in the summer of 2018, Brazilian utility man Fabinho joined the club having impressed with AS Monaco and winning Ligue 1 with the side. Despite a slow start on Merseyside, he has established himself as a key player in Klopp’s system over recent seasons.

Usually a defensive midfielder, the 28-year-old took his game to even greater levels last term having found the back of the net on eight occasions. Fabinho looks set to remain as a key player under Klopp for a considerable amount of time.

6) Diogo Jota – £40m to Wolverhampton Wanderers

Signed from Premier League rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers ahead of the 2020/21 season, it was expected that the Portuguese international would provide competition for the Reds’ frontline. He has done that and much more since making the move to Anfield.

He has found the back of the net on 34 occasions over the last couple of seasons – an excellent record considering that he has not always been an indisputable starter. The 25-year-old endured a stuttering end to the previous season but the £40m signing is still expected to remain a key part of the Liverpool squad.

7) Luis Diaz – £37m from FC Porto

Whilst Jota did not have the best end to the 2021/22 campaign, the Reds were not made to pay too severely as January arrival Luis Diaz enjoyed a lightning start to his Liverpool career. After arriving from Portuguese giants FC Porto for a reported fee of £37m, the Colombian scored six goals and notched five assists during the closing months of the season.

His form was certainly key to Liverpool in maintaining their fight for the Premier League title, whilst he was also pivotal in the Reds reaching the Champions League final against Real Madrid. Should Diaz continue his electric form at Anfield then the fee that saw him arrive on English shores will continue to look even more of a bargain.

8) Ibrahima Konate – £36m from RB Leipzig

After seeing a number of his centre-backs struck down by serious injury last term, Klopp wasted no time in bolstering his defensive ranks in the summer with the signing of Frenchman Ibrahima Konate. The 23-year-old has enjoyed a promising start to life at Anfield despite not yet having established himself in the starting lineup.

He made 29 appearances in all competitions for the Reds last term and only found himself on the losing side once – that being the slender defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League final. Whilst Konate’s defensive instincts were clear for most to see throughout the season his goalscoring talents also came in particularly handy as he found the net in three consecutive matches back in April.

Ibrahima Konate has made a bright start to life at Liverpool (Image: Getty Images)

9) Andy Carroll – £35m from Newcastle United

The first failure of Liverpool’s more expensive signings, Carroll did not manage to live up to the £35m fee that took him from Newcastle to Anfield on an infamous deadline day back in January 2011. Joining the club on the same day that Luis Suarez was signed – and of course Fernando Torres left for Chelsea – he became the most expensive Englishman in football history.

The now 33-year-old’s goal record with the Reds was underwhelming, to say the very least. He found the net just 11 goals in just 58 appearances for the club before being sent out on-loan to West Ham United.

The Hammers secured his signature on a permanent deal for a much lower fee than Liverpool paid before being released to rejoin Newcastle United in 2019. Carroll now finds himself a free agent once more after spells with Reading and West Bromwich Albion.