The £75 million bargain: How much did Liverpool actually pay for Van Dijk?

In 2018, Liverpool signed Virgil van Dijk in the winter transfer window from Southampton FC. This was one of the most notable transfers of that year, and Van Dijk himself has proven his value as one of the best defenders in the world. goaloomobi.com answers the question: How much did Liverpool actually pay for Van Dijk?

How much did Liverpool actually pay for Van Dijk?

To successfully sign Van Dijk, Liverpool FC spent £75 million on Southampton, a figure that set a world record for the most expensive defender in history at the time. The £75 million fee was reportedly paid upfront to persuade Southampton to release the player immediately after transfer disputes in the summer of 2017.

Liverpool’s spending of such a huge sum on a player in the middle of the season raised many doubts about the impact of the deal, especially since Van Dijk’s market value at the time in January 2018 was only £30 million. However, everything that happened afterward proved that Liverpool did not lose money on this transfer.

Information about Van Dijk’s contract

Joining Liverpool in early 2018, Van Dijk signed an initial contract for five and a half years, running until June 2023. According to reports at the time, Van Dijk received a salary of approximately £180,000 per week. Furthermore, the contract included bonus clauses based on clean sheets and team titles, which are standard in contracts for key players at Liverpool.

In 2021, after his significant contributions to Liverpool’s success, Van Dijk extended his contract with the club until 2025. At this time, his salary was significantly increased, estimated at around £220,000 per week, making him one of the highest-paid players in the squad. Notably, Van Dijk had just returned from an ACL injury at this time, demonstrating the club’s confidence in him.

In 2025, Van Dijk further extended his contract with Liverpool for another two years, with a new salary reportedly reaching around £400,000 per week, making him one of the highest-paid players in the league. Van Dijk expressed his pride after renewing his contract and affirmed that he always considers Liverpool his home, even jokingly mentioning being called a “native Scouser.”

In total, Liverpool has spent approximately £171,820,000 on Van Dijk, including transfer fees and salary. This figure does not include signing bonuses and performance-related bonuses. Including these, the actual amount could exceed £185-190 million.

The truth about Van Dijk’s transfer to Liverpool

1. Conflict with Southampton

In reality, Liverpool had wanted to sign Van Dijk since the summer of 2017. English media revealed that Klopp had a private meeting with Van Dijk at Blackpool to persuade him to move to Anfield. This seriously violated Premier League regulations. Southampton filed a complaint with the Premier League regarding Liverpool’s tapping-up behavior.

Liverpool later apologized for the incident, but just six months later, they returned and finalized the deal very quickly. It is known that Liverpool’s £75 million offer for Van Dijk was significantly higher than the £60 million Southampton demanded that summer. Van Dijk shared that Klopp’s persistence and belief were the biggest reasons he rejected all other offers and waited for Liverpool for six months.

2. A lightning-fast transfer completion

Instead of having Van Dijk travel to the Melwood training center, Liverpool made a bold decision to send the medical team directly to him. The medical examination was conducted at a discreet location in southern England, near Southampton. This ensured the deal remained confidential until everything was fully completed, preventing interference from other major rivals.

Just hours after the quick medical examination was completed, a photo of Van Dijk holding his Liverpool shirt at his home was officially released. The entire process, from Southampton agreeing to the £75 million fee to the completion of the medical and signing, took less than 24 hours.

3. The impact of this transfer

The Virgil van Dijk transfer was not only a successful deal but also a milestone that changed how defensive players are valued globally. Van Dijk’s immediate success at Liverpool sparked a wave of high-priced center-backs from big clubs.

Immediately after this, a series of major transfers followed, such as Harry Maguire to Manchester United for £80 million, Matthijs de Ligt to Juventus for £67.5 million, and Wesley Fofana joining Chelsea FC for £70 million. Since this transfer, clubs have been more willing to spend £70-90 million on defensive players.

Goaloo Mobi has just answered the question: How much did Liverpool actually pay for Van Dijk, while also looking back at the impact of this transfer on today’s football market. If you want to learn more about updated football schedules, please click on the link to our page.