Cost £8.5m, Then Left for 1570% More: The Liverpool Transfer That Was More Important Than Salah
Where did it all begin? Jurgen Klopp took charge of Liverpool after replacing Brendan Rodgers, leading the club out of a difficult period and building a legacy that reestablished the team as a dominant force in world football.
Klopp’s managerial brilliance was evident on Merseyside, where he instilled an exciting brand of football that delivered trophies on multiple fronts. His impact spanned across all competitions.
With Michael Edwards’ expertise in transfers, Liverpool prospered. Among their most remarkable moves, if not the best, was the £34 million signing of Mohamed Salah from AS Roma.
Salah was given another chance in the Premier League in 2017, after struggling to make an impact as a younger player at Chelsea, where he scored just two goals before moving to Italy.
The rest, as they say, is history. Salah has become one of the greatest forwards in Premier League history, boasting 214 goals and 92 assists in 352 appearances. He has been lauded for his “world-class” talents, with praise from analysts like Raj Chohan, among others.
The Egyptian international is a phenomenal forward, combining peak athleticism, lethal finishing, and top-tier technique and creativity, making him an exceptional attacking force.
Salah, who turned 32 in July, has made an impressive start under Arne Slot, contributing three goals and three assists in Liverpool’s first three Premier League matches, including a dominant performance against Manchester United.
While Salah remains the focal point of Liverpool’s success, what if his signing wasn’t the true turning point for the club?
In reality, it was a departure that had the most significant impact on Klopp’s reign and the current success of Slot’s team—the sale of Philippe Coutinho.
Selling Coutinho Was Klopp’s Watershed Moment
At the time, it felt as though Liverpool’s heart had been torn apart. Klopp’s leadership was in full effect, and the Merseyside team was becoming a formidable attacking powerhouse.
The legendary trio of Salah, Sadio Mane, and Roberto Firmino spent over five years together, achieving every major honor. For five remarkable months, they were supported by the creative playmaking of Coutinho.
| Philippe Coutinho: PL Stats 17/18 | |
|---|---|
| Stats (*per game) | # |
| Matches (starts) | 14 (13) |
| Goals | 7 |
| Assists | 6 |
| Pass accuracy | 79% |
| Key passes* | 2.9 |
| Dribbles* | 2.8 |
| Tackles* | 1.2 |
| Total duels won* | 5.6 |
| Source: Sofascore | |
Coutinho made only 14 Premier League appearances in the 2017/18 season before departing during the winter, but he left behind a series of masterful performances in scoring, assisting, and dominating. Lucas Leiva, a former Red, praised him as a “magician,” a description that fits perfectly.
However, Coutinho became aware of Barcelona’s interest and played exceptionally well to convince the Spanish club to offer a substantial fee for his services. After several successful years at Liverpool, having joined from Inter Milan for just £8.5 million in January 2013, he seemed ready for a new challenge.
In August 2017, the former Brazil international made a transfer request in an attempt to force a move to Barcelona. While Liverpool initially rejected this request, Barcelona returned in January with an offer that the club couldn’t refuse.
Barcelona paid a staggering £146 million to bring Coutinho from Anfield to Camp Nou in January 2018. While he was irreplaceable in many ways, the financial gain for Liverpool was immense. The club’s owners, FSG, likely felt both elated and overwhelmed by the size of the bid.
The transfer fee represented a 1570% increase on the £8.5 million Liverpool had originally paid for Coutinho. From a business perspective, this was a brilliant deal for the club.
This transfer was one of the most significant pieces of business Liverpool had conducted in years. It was even more pivotal than the signing of Mohamed Salah or the acquisition and sale of Luis Suarez, one of the most iconic centre-forwards Liverpool has ever had.
The reason this transfer was so crucial is that it opened up new opportunities for Liverpool. The club used the funds to sign Virgil van Dijk for £75 million and Alisson Becker for £67 million in the following year. These signings helped strengthen a team that already boasted attacking talent but had defensive weaknesses.
The arrival of Van Dijk and Alisson transformed Liverpool’s squad, taking them from being a good team to becoming a great one. Both players remain vital to the team today, helping the club pursue major honors under the leadership of manager Arne Slot.
Coutinho’s departure marked the beginning of a new era for Liverpool. His move to Barcelona provided the club with the resources to enter a golden age, and while his performances in red were memorable, his decision to leave is what truly sparked Liverpool’s most illustrious period.
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