Liverpool and the Art of Bargain Hunting: From Robertson to Ngumoha
Baca dalam 60 detik
- Andy Robertson, yang dibeli hanya £8 juta dari Hull City pada 2017, menjelma menjadi salah satu bek kiri terbaik Premier League dengan 60 assist.
- Model rekrutmen hemat Liverpool kini dipertanyakan setelah era transfer £100 juta+ untuk pemain seperti Isak dan Wirtz.
- Rio Ngumoha, winger 18 tahun yang direkrut dari Chelsea seharga £3 juta, nilainya melonjak 766% menjadi €30 juta dan berpotensi mengikuti jejak Robertson.
Liverpool has proven that amid exploding player-price inflation, there is still room to acquire world-class players on the cheap. Andy Robertson, signed from Hull City in 2017 for a fee of just £8 million, is now recognized as one of the best left-backs ever to grace the Premier League. That success became a reference point for how The Reds can strike gold from purchases once considered insignificant.
Robertson was not an instant buy. He needed time to break into Jürgen Klopp's starting XI, even admitting he was "miserable" in his early months due to a lack of playing time. Only after Alberto Moreno was injured at the end of 2017 did the opportunity come. Robertson seized it brilliantly: 22 league appearances in the 2017/18 season, five assists, and the trust to play in the Champions League final against Real Madrid. From a player released by Celtic as a youngster and who had played for Queen's Park, he transformed into one of the most productive left-backs with 60 assists in the league.
Robertson's departure from Anfield—which ended in a free transfer—passed without drama and actually drew sympathy. In contrast to Trent Alexander-Arnold's controversial departure, Robertson left with his head held high. His return to Anfield this week in the Carabao Cup match against Tottenham Hotspur was greeted with a standing ovation and a signature chant from the stands. That moment served as a reminder that nine years of loyalty and contribution do not deserve to be repaid with jeers.
Behind the glitter of expensive transfers such as Isak, Wirtz, and Bradley Barcola, Robertson's story offers a counter-narrative: cheap buys can deliver multiplied returns, both on the pitch and financially. However, since Robertson's arrival, Liverpool has rarely found a similar gem. Caoimhin Kelleher and Takumi Minamino were once considered potential, but neither ever truly became a mainstay and were eventually sold to Brentford and Monaco.
Now, attention turns to Rio Ngumoha. The 18-year-old winger, recruited from Chelsea in 2024 for an initial fee below £3 million, is touted as a candidate to succeed Robertson. Chelsea is reportedly regretful for letting him go, and that regret is justified. Ngumoha has shown flashes of quality, including an injury-time winning goal against Newcastle United at St James' Park in August 2025. Coach Andoni Iraola, known for his skill in developing young talents such as Rayan and Junior Kroupi at Bournemouth, is believed capable of turning Ngumoha into a world-class player.
Ngumoha's market value has soared as well. Transfermarkt records his current selling price at €30 million, or about £26 million—a 766% increase from the initial investment. Liverpool does not plan to sell him in the near future, but the long-term profit potential is huge. If he continues to develop, Ngumoha could become the backbone of The Reds for the next decade, just as Robertson did.
For fans in Indonesia, this story is relevant to youth development strategies in the country. Liga 1 clubs often get trapped in buying expensive players without planning, even though talented local young players can become long-term assets. Liverpool shows that a combination of data analysis, patience, and the courage to give young players opportunities can produce double benefits: achievement and financial gain. The question is, will Indonesian clubs start imitating this approach, or remain stuck in a cycle of wasteful spending without results?
