Liverpool’s free transfer masterclass: how Klopp turned nobodies into legends

Liverpool will begin next season without Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konaté after all three left Anfield as free agents this summer once their contracts expired. Yet as the Reds prepare for a new era under incoming boss Andoni Iraola, their own history of shrewd free transfers offers a reminder of just how well the club can operate at the other end of that market.

Robertson has swapped Merseyside for Tottenham Hotspur on a free transfer, ending a hugely successful spell that included two Premier League titles. Salah’s remarkable nine-year stay came to an end after his contract was terminated a year early, while Konaté has moved on to Real Madrid.

Losing three players of that calibre for nothing represents a significant financial blow. But as the Mirror points out, Liverpool have repeatedly shown they know how to unearth value from free agency themselves, with several bargain arrivals going on to become key figures at Anfield.

Matip and Milner set the template

Joel Matip was one of Jürgen Klopp’s earliest coups, joining on a free transfer in 2016 after his Schalke contract ran out, having already agreed terms months earlier. He arrived into a much-criticised Liverpool backline and went on to help the club win the Champions League and a Premier League title, later forming a formidable partnership alongside Virgil van Dijk during the pursuit of an unprecedented quadruple in 2021/22. Matip retired in 2024 after leaving Anfield as a cult hero among supporters.

James Milner is another who arrived without a transfer fee, joining from Manchester City in 2015 and spending eight years setting standards for professionalism and fitness that team-mates followed. Klopp was full of praise for Milner when he departed in 2023, saying: “[It has been] a pleasure and a challenge. In the same moment [it] means a pleasure because of his exceptional attitude, really. I think for a lot of experienced players you use from time to time the word ‘role model’. But Millie is the role model, how he puts himself pretty much in place to be every day 100 per cent ready. It’s a pure example; absolutely outstanding.”

Milner played a key role in Liverpool’s 2019 Champions League triumph and the 2020 league title win before eventually retiring from professional football this June, aged 40, following a three-year spell at Brighton.

Touré among the fans’ favourites

Kolo Touré brought title-winning experience with him when he joined Liverpool on a free transfer from Manchester City in 2013, and he quickly proved his worth under Brendan Rodgers. He was a key figure in the club’s dramatic and unexpected title challenge that season alongside Luis Suárez and Steven Gerrard, featuring in 20 league matches.

Touré went on to become a popular figure at Anfield thanks to his work rate and a chant that endeared him to supporters. His final appearance for the Reds came in the 2016 Europa League final defeat to Sevilla, after which he spent a season at Celtic before retiring.

A track record worth remembering

With Salah, Robertson and Konaté all departing for nothing this summer, Liverpool’s ability to secure high-quality players without a transfer fee will likely be put to the test again as Iraola begins reshaping the squad. History suggests the club are more than capable of finding similar value once more.

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