Who is Liverpool’s most expensive transfer signing according to the transfer inflation calculator?

We all know that centre-back Virgil van Dijk signed for Liverpool in January 2018 for a Liverpool transfer fee record of £76 million. What you might not know is the fee paid for Van Dijk isn’t actually the largest-ever fee paid for a Liverpool player… sort of.

In a recent article on The Athletic (which can be found here), the distinction of most expensive Liverpool transfer goes to former striker Stan Collymore. Yes, that is correct, but the tag of most expensive only goes to Collymore thanks to the use of a transfer inflation calculator.

The transfer inflation calculator was created by Kieran Maguire, a football finances expert, and Jason Laws from the University of Liverpool. Based on the calculator created by Maguire and Laws, Van Dijk would only be Liverpool’s fourth-most expensive transfer signing, coming in at £84.6m when adjusted for inflation.

Collymore joined Liverpool in 1995 from Nottingham Forest for £8.5m. At the time of Collymore’s arrival, the fee was a British record transfer fee. Collymore made 81 appearances for Liverpool, scoring 35 goals and assisting 16. Liverpool sold Collymore in 1997 to Aston Villa for £7m. Maguire and Laws’ transfer inflation calculator values Collymore’s transfer from 1995 at a whopping £132.9m.

Coming in second as the most expensive transfers for Liverpool is former striker Emile Heskey. The striker was signed for £11m in 2000, which equates to an incredible £89.9m approximately 22 years later. Heskey played four and a half seasons for Liverpool, scoring 60 goals in 223 matches. Birmingham City signed Heskey from the Reds for only £3.5m.

10 most expensive Liverpool transfers adjusted for inflation

Here is a look at the 10 names on the list of most expensive Liverpool players according to Maguire and Laws’ transfer inflation calculator.

10. Luis Suarez — £57.9m (original fee £22.8m in January 2011)

9. Dietmar Hamann — £65.4m (original fee £8m in July 1999)

8. Javier Mascherano — £65.6m (original fee $20.25m in January 2007)

7. Alisson Becker — £69.4m (original fee £66.8m in July 2018)

6. Jason McAteer — £70.4m (original fee £4.5m in 1995)

5. Fernando Torres — £71.2m (original fee £20m in summer 2007)

4. Virgil van Dijk — £84.6m (original fee £76m in January 2018)

3. Andy Carroll — £88.9m (original fee £35m in January 2011)

2. Emile Heskey — £89.9m (original fee £11m in 2000)

1. Stan Collymore — £132.9m (original fee £8.5m in 1995)