While the volume of Liverpool's transfer activity has come under scrutiny in recent years, there can be little disputing the thoroughness.
Since Jurgen Klopp became a Champions League winner in June of 2019, the Reds have signed 15 players for the first-team squad, with two of those being Ozan Kabak and Ben Davies in the winter of 2021. The Turk's loan spell was not made permanent and Davies was eventually sold 18 months later having failed to make a senior appearance. Andy Lonergan, meanwhile, never played for Klopp.
Manchester United, in contrast, have brought in as many as 21 during that same timeframe, while Man City - a side who have won four of the last five Premier League titles - have added 16 to their books.
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Perhaps unsurprisingly, it is Chelsea whose wheeling and dealing has been one of the most prolific of last season's top six. Even accounting for a transfer ban in the summer of 2019, the Londoners have still signed 22 players in that time and will add to that tally this month as Graham Potter attempts to rebuild a mishmash of a squad.
Arsenal added 23 to their ranks over the course of the last three-and-a-half years, while Spurs' fluctuating fortunes that has seen them appoint three different managers since Mauricio Pochettino left in November 2019 has led to them signing as many as 28.
Liverpool, then, can clearly never be accused of signing players purely for the sake of it. On the one hand it does hint at the stagnation of a squad that has, in the main, been together for much of the last five years. On the flip side, less exorbitant outlays suggests that Klopp has already assembled a winning squad. Having won every trophy available to them since 2019, that is evidently the case.
No stone is left unturned when Liverpool enter the market. While the approaches of clubs like United and Chelsea can appear on the outside to be scattergun and chaotic at times, the Reds have developed a reputation as studious and sensible operators in the market, perhaps sometimes to their detriment.
“Liverpool have great recruiters, they wouldn’t sign any k***heads," James Milner said last year. “Sport is all mental, you can have all the ability in the world, but it’s the attitude.” And while the data analysis and live scouting remain the biggest indicators of a player's ability, as much information as possible is gathered on the personality of a target before the green light is given at Anfield.
Back in 2021, in the midst of a crippling centre-back shortage, Liverpool waited until the final days of the transfer window to spring something of a double swoop for Kabak and Davies. As information was gathered on the former, Klopp sought the advice from his good friend David Wagner, who coached the Turkish defender during their time together at Schalke.
It was understood at the time that Kabak came strongly recommended by Wagner before the opinion of former Schalke sporting director Christian Heidel was also asked for by the Liverpool manager. As a fully-fledged Turkish international at the age of just 20 at the time, it was deemed that Kabak had the character to help them secure a top-four place.
The capture of Diogo Jota in September 2020 was a textbook example of Liverpool searching beyond the data and the scouting reports. It was assistant boss Pep Lijnders who reached out to former colleagues at Porto and within Portuguese football for a reference on the £40m forward. It was said at the time that Jota's intelligence and work ethic were highlighted as reasons for why he could become a difference-maker on the pitch at Anfield in the long term.
The capture of Roberto Firmino in 2015 also saw Liverpool seek feedback from Philippe Coutinho, while the deadline day arrival of Arthur Melo was believed to have been agreed after information was taken on board from the Brazilian contingent already at the club.
The most recent example of Liverpool's exhaustive search for character references came with the signing of Cody Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven, most notably Virgil van Dijk. "It was just normal chats," the Reds defender insisted on those talks with his new club colleague. "It was not that I was trying to convince him but when the time was there I gave my honest opinion and that is something I can always do.
"It's very positive because I have been at this club for five years now and I have won every trophy with this beautiful club and I know how much it means - each one. To play under this manager and with these guys, it is a joy and something he will enjoy as well."
It would be no surprise either to learn of Liverpool doing their due diligence behind the scenes in their pursuit of Jude Bellingham. By now, it is something of an open secret about the Reds' interest in the England international, with Klopp telling SportBILD recently: “These things are not possible because he is under contract with Borussia Dortmund. Jude is a great player who we are familiar with, of course. We’d be stupid not to have him on our radar. But there’s nothing more to say at the moment.”
Given Klopp's seven largely decorated years at Dortmund, he would not have too much trouble seeking the opinion of those in the know at Westfalenstadion, particularly when the German club's managing director, Carsten Cramer, admitted during the World Cup: "We are still in a good relationship with Jurgen and many others at Liverpool, so for me, it's my preferred club in the EPL as well. But don't expect that we will make gifts to Liverpool [over Bellingham]."
There is also the England contingent to consider at Liverpool with both Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jordan Henderson having established a healthy friendship with the 19-year-old Bellingham during their time together with the Three Lions.
The personality of a player might not be the most vital part of what Liverpool look for in potential transfer targets but recent history shows it is still an important aspect to consider at Anfield.
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