When Brendan Rodgers was sacked from his position as manager at Liverpool in 2015, the pessimism threatened to boil over on Merseyside, with the prestigious Premier League outfit devoid of confidence and inspiration; all changed with the appointment of Jurgen Klopp.
Having fallen by the wayside under Rodgers, the Reds returned too the glory days under the wing of the eccentric German boss, having now qualified for the Champions League on six consecutive occasions, reaping a plethora of major honours including the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, and Carabao Cup.
The meticulous crafting of his outfit and the effect it had on Anfield, a veritable shadow of its former glory before returning to transcendent brightness once again, was resounding in its entirety.
And some of the shrewder signings of the reign have proven to be the most valuable to Klopp and co, with Gini Wijnaldum signing from Newcastle United for £25m and Joel Matip arriving from Schalke on a free transfer.
But no player can match the impact of Andy Robertson for such a minimal fee, with the Scottish left-back completing a £10m move to Merseyside in 2017 from relegated Hull City.
How much is Robertson worth now?
The core of Liverpool’s success under Klopp bears a distinctive and glinted sheen; Mohamed Salah earns the plaudits for his clinical prowess, while the galvanising leadership of captain Jordan Henderson and the defensive equanimity of Virgil van Dijk have ensured the intensity and cohesion have remained firmly gelled.
But the bouncing ball of destructive energy that is Robertson has been integral in ensuring the left side has an unceasing creative outlet, with Robertson’s 61 assists from 255 appearances for the Reds a remarkable achievement; indeed, on Boxing Day, the Scotsman’s served pass for Salah cemented his position as the highest-assisting defender in Premier League history, overtaking Leighton Baines.
Having won a plethora of major honours, including the English top-flight and the Champions League, the 59-cap Scotland captain now boasts a market value of £62m, according to Football Transfers, surpassing the fee paid for the phenom by over six times.
If Liverpool had ever been inclined to sell, they would have made a mammoth profit, but the work Robertson has plied on Merseyside suggests the correct route in utilising his talents throughout the prime of his career has been the most auspicious option, with FBref ranking him among the top 3% of full-backs for assists, 4% for shot-creating actions and 12% for progressive passes per 90.
Lauded as a “Duracell Bunny” by Liverpool writer Leanne Prescott, Robertson certainly brings the high-voltage charge to his outfit, almost always a relentless force on the left flank, marauding up and down the wing and looking to provide auxiliary support to the frontline whenever possible.
His defensive acumen is underrated too, with WhoScored recording an impressive career average of 1.5 tackles, one interception, and 1.8 clearances per game, illustrating just how expansive a scope the £100k-per-week gem truly has to offer.
As such, Klopp’s dip into Hull to land a young Scottish left-back with a solid start to life in the Premier League can be viewed as nothing other than a masterstroke, with so much of Liverpool’s success over the past several seasons owed to the marauding excellence down the left.
