Liverpool's best January signings - ranked

Liverpool have been involved in some of the biggest January transfers ever, and while many of them have been sales, they've splashed the cash in the winter window too.

Doing so, as they've just done to bring in Cody Gakpo, is always risky business given how inflated the fees tend to be - lest we forger what they paid for one Andy Carroll - but it's been a risk worth taking for them on a number of occasions.

Here's who we think have been Liverpool's five best January signings ever.

5. Javier Mascherano

£17.6m - what Liverpool spent to sign Mascherano permanently following a season-long loan - was a lot of money back in 2008, but the midfielder proved to be worth every penny.

He was a big reason why Liverpool were finally able to challenge for the league title again in 2008/09, forming an excellent partnership with Xabi Alonso.

Things went downhill when the Spaniard left and wasn't adequately replaced, but the Argentina remained an important player for the club, establishing himself as one of the best in the world before leaving for Barcelona after 139 matches.

4. Daniel Agger

There wasn't too much excitement when Liverpool signed a 22-year-old defender from Brondby to say the least, but it would turn out to be an excellent purchase.

Agger went on to spend eight years at the club, being one of the best defenders around when fit and in form. Even with injuries hindering him, he played over 200 matches before leaving as a fan favourite.

In his time there, he played a big part in their run to the 2007 Champions League final and their Premier League title challenge in 2008/09. Oh, and he scored an absolute worldie that ensured the streets will never forget him.

3. Philippe Coutinho

Football is a business as well as a sport, and in terms of the former area, signings don't come better than this one.

Coutinho was signed from Inter for just £8.5m in 2013 and would leave for Barcelona five years later for a fee that eventually amounted to £142m, meaning he made Liverpool a whopping £133.5m profit.

That's because he was excellent on the pitch during his time there, getting 54 goals and 43 assists in 201 games, with many of those goals being stunners.

Whichever way you look at it, this was a top signing.

2. Luis Suarez

Liverpool lost a top striker in January of 2011 when Fernando Torres left for Chelsea, but they signed an even better one during the same week.

Suarez bagged 82 goals in 133 games, with his 2013/14 campaign being one of the best that English football has ever seen. In that season, he scored 31 times and so nearly led the club to their first ever Premier League title with some quite frankly ridiculous goals and performances.

His time in England and the legacy he left behind was somewhat tarnished by controversies, but there's no doubt that he's one of the best players to ever play for the club.

Given what Suarez was able to achieve in some really poor Liverpool sides, it's scary to imagine just how good he'd have been if he played alongside better teammates.

1. Virgil van Dijk

You've got to be quite the player to be ahead of Luis Suarez on this list, and Virgil van Dijk is exactly that.

Since joining from Southampton for £75m at the start of 2018, the Dutchman has become one of the best centre-backs the Premier League has ever seen and played a huge part in the club's improved fortunes.

It's not a coincidence that they've won the Champions League and Premier League since he was signed, with van Dijk arguably being their most important player in both triumphs.

He's already a true Liverpool legend, and he's got a fair few years left in him yet too.