Via Liverpool.com
Michael Edwards made one very rare exception for a Liverpool transfer in 2018 - and it would prove to be one of his best decisions since being at the club.
During the summer of 2018, Edwards was instrumental in overseeing the arrivals of Alisson, Xherdan Shaqiri, Fabinho and Naby Keita, as well as Virgil van Dijk
Alisson, Fabinho and Van Dijk, in particular, went on to write themselves into Liverpool folklore by forming part of the side that went on to achieve domestic and continental success under Jurgen Klopp
A large part of that spending spree came down to the sale of Philippe Coutinho in January 2018, with $90million (£70m/€82m) plus $5.1m (£4m/€4.7m) in add-ons being spent on Van Dijk that same month
Six-and-a-half years later and Van Dijk has 270 appearances, eight trophies and club captaincy to show for it.
However, Liverpool would go on to break another world record that summer due to the "bonus" of still having plenty of money left over from the Coutinho sale.
In July 2018, the Reds splashed $71.2m (£55.5m/€64.7m) on Alisson Becker from Roma - a world-record fee for a goalkeeper at the time.
unlike Liverpool's other signings, this one was particularly unique because the Brazilian was the first player Edwards had made a slight exception for prior to signing him.
That's according to Ian Graham
Graham said;
“Summer 2018. Funded by the Coutinho money, we signed Alisson Becker from Roma for a world-record fee for a goalkeeper, until Chelsea smashed the record a few weeks later. Alisson is one of the few players that Eddy watched live before signing.”
“He decided to do that because he freely admits he is no expert on goalkeepers. Data analysis showed that Alisson and Jan Oblak at Atletico Madrid were the best goalkeepers in Europe.
“Jurgen wanted a goalkeeper used to playing with his feet and that made Alisson the preferred choice."
Since signing for the Reds on a six-year-deal in the summer of 2018, Alisson has won five major trophies and made more than 260 appearances in a Liverpool shirt.
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