Liverpool's capture of Virgil van Dijk in January 2018 - six months after they'd been unable to convince Southampton to sell - is arguably their smartest piece of business in modern times.
The Reds were one of several Premier League sides looking to acquire the Dutchman, who made it known he wanted to leave St Mary's and eventually got the deal over the line for £75million. Their patience had been rewarded and soon the silverware followed.
Premier Leagues and Champions Leagues have been won, owing massively to shrewd recruitment. Jurgen Klopp has relished being able to improve players, the likes of Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah. Van Dijk is another who has continued to grow, but the nature in which they signed him fed a narrative that Liverpool "wait for their man".
