That's after VVD and in 2019 when the market was again inflated , transfer fees in general became out of control after Neymar's departure to PSG for 200m in Aug 2017
VVD in Jan 2017 , anyone before that ?
You have to defend VVD that he was just an average player before coming to Liverpool
"We built a new stadium but we never found our soul -- we left our soul at Highbury," Wenger
"[Anfield] is the best stadium in England," Wenger said. "It's simple because the people are so close to the pitch. People really love football in every family, they are football connoisseurs.
"I've been in positions there where I've been leading 5-1 with five minutes to go and they were chanting 'You'll Never Walk Alone.' It's one of the few cities, maybe the only city in the world where you find that.
"I moved from Highbury [with Arsenal], it was a bit similar to Anfield, if not the same."
Its not about average player or the fee, the ability to identify a player that can develop and suit to manager's vision and philosophy. If VVD continued to play in that Southampton team he is still an average player. There are many examples in this team including Robertson, Wijnaldum, Henderson, Fabinho etc all made huge improvement and progressed to Klopp's way of playing. And, I can't say of that front 3 too and made integral part of this great project now fully flourished.
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I don't think he is that stupid enough to play all his lifetime at Southampton , it's inevitable that at any point he will move to a bigger club when the right opportunity comes and he found Klopp's project (he was linked to Chelsea , Man City and Arsenal also) the best and he moved
The list didn't stop there , each and every player improved under him ( only exception may be Naby Keita because of injury ) , even some average players excelled under him and he is the current greatest by a mile
My point is about VVD and to an extend Alisson ( agree these two also improved ) , Liverpool were not just buying an average player from a mid table team
VVD yude talent kandethaan Klopp nte athrem talent illaathavarrkum kazhiyum ...he was linked to Chelsea , Man City and Arsenal also...that's why the huge transfer fee ...and he chose Liverpool
away beyond the worldly rules of right and wrong, there is a field; I will meet you there