Mane, Suarez, Coutinho: Liverpool’s top 10 record transfer sales

Liverpool have seen lots of players leave for huge money in the past, but who are the 10 most expensive departures in their history?

Transfer business has been relatively quiet at Anfield in recent windows, with supporters often critical of owners FSG for not providing managers with enough funds. Last summer, for example, only Giorgi Mamardashvili and Federico Chiesa came in, with the former staying on loan at Valencia for this season.

Liverpool are also under threat of losing Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah on free transfers next summer, with all three still to sign contract extensions. As it stands, they will be able to depart at the end of the current campaign when their deals expire.

Receiving no money for them would be an almighty blow, but in the past, Liverpool have generated huge funds through the exits of certain players. Here are the 10 most expensive sales in Reds history.

10

Mamadou Sakho

Liverpool to Crystal Palace (£26m)

Mamadou Sakho was a divisive figure at Liverpool, with some viewing the centre-back as an error-prone player, while others felt he was far better than given credit for due to his awkward style working against him.

However, it became increasingly clear that the Frenchman had disciplinary issues, and as soon as he tested Jurgen Klopp’s patience with unprofessional behaviour on a tour of America during pre-season, the writing was on the wall.

Sakho was sold to Crystal Palace for £26m after an initial loan spell there, and his career fell apart after leaving Anfield.

9

Fabio Carvalho

Liverpool to Brentford (£27.5m)

When Fabio Carvalho arrived at Liverpool from Fulham in the summer of 2022, there was excitement about them snapping up another young talent from Craven Cottage, as was the case with Harvey Elliott.

But barring a memorable late winner against Newcastle United early in his time at Anfield, the attacking midfielder never managed to become a key player. A permanent switch to Brentford for £27.5m earlier this year felt like the right decision for all parties.

8

Xabi Alonso

Liverpool to Real Madrid (£30m)

Now manager of Bayer Leverkusen, Xabi Alonso was a world-class midfielder during his playing days.

The Spaniard lit up Anfield during five brilliant years in a Liverpool shirt, during which time he forged a dominant partnership with Javier Mascherano and Steven Gerrard in the middle of the park.

Sadly for Reds supporters, Real Madrid came calling in the summer of 2009, just after the Reds had narrowly missed out on Premier League title glory, and he found it impossible to turn them down, sealing a £30m move.

7

Christian Benteke

Liverpool to Crystal Palace (£32m)

The signing of Christian Benteke in 2015 never quite felt right for Liverpool, during a time when doubts were starting to creep in about Brendan Rodgers as manager.

The Belgian had admittedly caused the Reds plenty of problems in an Aston Villa shirt in the past, but his performances at Anfield were lacking, and he only spent one season at the club.

Granted, Benteke’s overhead kick away to Manchester United was stunning, albeit in a losing cause, but a tally of just 10 goals in 42 appearances outlined his struggles, as he failed to justify his £32m price tag. Like Sakho, he was sold to Crystal Palace, with Liverpool breaking even following his departure.

6

Sadio Mane

Liverpool to Bayern Munich (£35m)

It’s easy to think about current stars Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk and Salah as the poster boys of the current era at Liverpool, but Sadio Mane cannot be ignored.

The Senegalese was an unbelievable servant for the Reds during a six-year period between 2016 and 2022, scoring 120 goals in 269 appearances and arguably standing out as his side’s best player in the title-winning 2019/20 season.

Fast, skilful, strong, tenacious and full of end product, Mane was a world-class player at the peak of his powers prior to moving to Bayern Munich for £35m, just when he was showing signs of being on the wane.

5

Fabinho

Liverpool to Al-Ittihad (£40m)

Fabinho felt like a huge piece of the jigsaw being filled when he joined Liverpool from Monaco in 2018, and it is no coincidence that the Reds won the Champions League and the Premier League in his first two seasons at the club.

A dominant presence at the heart of the midfield, the Brazilian was one of Europe’s leading No 6s in his prime, combining an elite reading of the game with his underrated quality on the ball.

However, Fabinho’s legs seemed to go in 2022/23, as was the case with Jordan Henderson, and it made sense to sell him to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad for £40m the following summer.

4

Raheem Sterling

Liverpool to Manchester City (£49m)

Raheem Sterling’s meteoric rise at Liverpool was hugely impressive, with the Englishman going from youth team star to key first-team player in no time during the early part of the 2010s.

He was outstanding in the 2013/14 season despite still being a teenager, coming so close to playing a big role in the Reds winning the Premier League, and performed at a level of maturity beyond his years.

However, Sterling burned his bridges with Liverpool fans when he opted to join Manchester City for £49m in 2015, and many appearances at Anfield since have seen him booed relentlessly.

3

Fernando Torres

Liverpool to Chelsea (£50m)

When Fernando Torres joined Liverpool from Atletico Madrid in 2007, he felt like one of the most exciting signings in the history of the club.

The Spanish star backed up the hype, becoming one of the world’s best strikers in his first couple of years on Merseyside, giving defenders nightmares – not least Nemanja Vidic. He may not have won a trophy at Liverpool, but 81 goals in 142 games was a stunning return.

When Torres controversially joined Chelsea for £50m in January 2011, many supporters were devastated, but the truth is that his very best days were already behind him.

2

Luis Suarez

Liverpool to Barcelona (£75m)

Has there ever been a more talented player in Liverpool’s history than Luis Suarez?

What the Uruguayan achieved in a Reds shirt between 2011 and 2014 was unforgettable, with only Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo arguably better than him during that period.

Suarez came painfully close to inspiring Liverpool to title glory in 2013/14, scoring 31 goals in just 33 league appearances, and his £75m exit to Barcelona at the end of that campaign was hard to take.

1

Philippe Coutinho

Liverpool to Barcelona (£142m)

In hindsight, the £142m sale of Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool to Barcelona in 2018 is one of the best pieces of business the Reds have ever done.

While there was discontent about him leaving at the time, having grown into his side’s attacking talisman, it allowed Liverpool to use the funds to sign Alisson and Van Dijk, and the rest is history.

The legendary goalkeeper and centre-back completely transformed the Reds as a team under Klopp, turning them into one of the best club sides of their generation. Meanwhile, Coutinho’s career has completely petered out ever since, with injuries and patchy form turning him into a shadow of his former self.