Although the players on the field have undoubtedly contributed to Liverpool’s amazing rise under Jurgen Klopp, a closer look reveals that the complex Anfield apparatus is the result of painstaking effort on the transfer front.
The Reds have undergone a complete transformation since the German manager took over in 2015, and they have subsequently earned silver-laden rewards that well outweigh whatever influence any cynical fans may have had when he first joined the team.
Over the past seven years, there has been a lot of transfer activity. While the majority of these transactions have been successful, others have left a poignant impression.
The most notable purchase was Naby Keita, a £53 million midfielder from Guinea who arrived with high expectations only to have his time at Anfield decimated by injuries.
Few people have left to succeed at the highest level abroad in terms of sales, but one person who left quietly is Taiwo Awoniyi, who is leading Nottingham Forest in the Premier League and flourishing there.
How much did Liverpool pay to acquire Awoniyi?
After graduating from the Imperial Academy in his native Nigeria, Liverpool recruited Nigerian striker Awoniyi, who is thought to have cost approximately £400,000.
Awoniyi, who was thought to have the ability to develop into a top-tier forward at the highest level, was sent out on loan to Bundesliga 2 team FSV Frankfurt as soon as he was acquired from Anfield, and
The 26-year-old did, in fact, miraculously complete seven loan periods while still on the books of Liverpool; his final term as a wandering nomad, at Union Berlin, led to his permanent transfer for approximately £6 million, despite the fact that he had never played for his parent club.
In just 16 games for Union Berlin during the 2020–21 season, he made an impression in Germany. The following year, he put up a 20–goal season to catch the eye of Nottingham Forest, who then made their move.
Okay, let’s not jump to conclusions just yet. Awoniyi scores goals frequently and is demonstrating under Tricky Trees manager Cooper that he is every bit the forward Liverpool anticipated when they swooped to sign him in his early years.
He lacks the caliber of Mohamed Salah, Liverpool’s star forward under Klopp, who has become one of the most ferocious, destructive attackers of the modern era since arriving from Serie A team Roma for £34 million in 2017.
Salah, the premier inside forward, has redefined the levels of striking ability possible for wide attackers. He broke the Premier League record for goals scored in a season (32) and held that mark for nearly five years before a team broke it.
Michael Owen has referred to the Egyptian as “one of the greatest of all time” because of the 188 goals and 81 assists he has amassed in just 309 appearances for Liverpool.
He has had a commendable start to this season with two goals and an assist in each of his first four games, and despite Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad wafting the delicious perfume of their wealth in his direction this summer, he remains the focal point of the offense.
Liverpool steadfastly defended their position that the 31-year-old is simply untouchable by rejecting a record £150 million deal for their top player and dispelling rumors of another, even greater offer.
A truly unreplaceable presence who, despite the Reds’ troubles the previous season, had a 30-goal season and is expected to have even more success this time around.
In front of goal, Awoniyi is outperforming him.
True, the 5 foot 10 talisman couldn’t equal Salah’s statistics from the previous campaign, but following a stellar start to the campaign with Nottingham Forest, scoring three goals and dishing out an assist in his first four Premier League games, he now rates among the finest forwards Europe has to offer.
According to FBref, Awoniyi has scored an incredible 0.76 goals per game over the past year, placing him among the top 4% of forwards in the top five leagues in Europe.
Salah
, on the other hand, scores 0.59 goals per game, which places him in the top 1% among attacking midfielders and wingers.
Awoniyi’s performance in front of goal is further demonstrated by the fact that Harry Kane scores at a rate of 0.53 and Kylian Mbappe scores 0.75 for Paris Saint-Germain, respectively.
Such outstanding figures vividly depict the deep influence the £50k per week diamond has had on Forest’s accomplishments since returning to the top division last year.
His double-digit scoring total from the previous season, which he ended with confidence, served as another example of his skill as a player who excels in big-game situations.
While the loss of Awoniyi won’t affect the lovable Anfield crowd much, Liverpool’s attacking ability is among the greatest in European football.
