Liverpool performed excellent business in this year’s summer transfer window, underpaying for three of their four signings, according to a study from CIES.
The CIES footballing observatory uses a sophisticated algorithm to establish the market value of footballers in comparison to the amount teams actually paid.
And according to them Liverpool underpaid for Fabinho, Alisson and Xherdan Shaqiri. They report that the Reds paid €55million for Fabinho, who is actually worth €73.8million. Alisson was secured for €72.5million and is worth €79.3million, while Liverpool paid €14.7million for Shaqiri who is valued at €22.2million.
On the other hand, CIES deem that the Reds paid too much for Naby Keita. They value the Guinea international at €61.3million, and Liverpool forked over €70milllion (£62.3million) to RB Leipzig.
OPINION
These studies always provide an interesting look at the transfer market, but really teams pay however much they have to pay to get the players they want. Liverpool felt that they needed Keita so they paid the money that it took to secure him. If he goes on to have an excellent career at Anfield then Jurgen Klopp and co. will view the deal as money well spent – no matter if they overpaid at the time or not. Having said that, supporters will be pleased to see that their team got good value from their other three signings. Alisson, who many felt the club overpaid for, was actually purchased for below his market value, while Shaqiri was, as expected, a genuine bargain. Fabinho is yet to play a minute of competitive football for the club since his signing, so Reds fans may dispute that they got good value from that deal. However, the Brazilian must be given time, and will surely go on to prove himself an astute signing.
