Jamie Carragher Says Liverpool Aren't 'Buying Superstars, They Are Making Them'

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has praised the club for their ability to transform signings into superstars and credited manager Jurgen Klopp for his influence on players. 

The defending European champions have a habit of squeezing the most out of their signings in recent years, and Carragher told Sky Sports he was impressed with the recruitment approach:

"[Andy] Robertson came from Hull, [Georginio] Wijnaldum was relegated with Newcastle, [Mohamed] Salah had been at Chelsea, [Sadio] Mane had been in the Premier League; they are not just going to the best clubs in the world and buying the best players.

"It's OK buying players, but it's what you do with them. Sometimes we forget that. Once you have that player you have to improve them, and Jurgen Klopp probably doesn't get enough credit for that, the work he does as a coach.

"Liverpool are not buying superstars, they are making them."

The runaway Premier League leaders are 14 points in front of Manchester City with one game in hand, having recently beaten Flamengo 1-0 to lift the FIFA Club World Cup for the first time in their history. A treble is still possible with the Merseysiders in the hunt for the FA Cup and UEFA Champions League.

Saturday's 1-0 victory away to Tottenham Hotspur saw Liverpool set a new record for the best start to a season in one of Europe's top five leagues after 21 games, per Sky Sports Statto:

Carragher's comments may not apply as much to more expensive signings like defender Virgil van Dijk or goalkeeper Alisson Becker, who cost £75 million and £66.8 million, respectively. Each player broke the world transfer record in their positions when they moved to Anfield from Southampton and AS Roma.

But even those larger splurges look justified considering the success that's come since their arrivals. The CIES Football Observatory recently highlighted that Van Dijk, 28, has even risen in value and trumps his more youthful peers:

Klopp and Pep Guardiola exchanged words in the media this past summer when the Liverpool chief suggested his side can't afford to live in a "fantasia land" where they spend £200 million every summer.

City boss Guardiola has spent roughly £650 million on signings since he moved to the Etihad Stadium in 2016, while Klopp—who joined Liverpool in October 2015—has expenditures closer to £400 million in that time.

The Reds triggered Takumi Minamino's £7.25 million release clause to sign the Red Bull Salzburg midfielder in January, adding another promising player to their ranks for what looks likely to be a bargain fee.

New team-mates Sadio Mane and Naby Keita each joined Liverpool having played for Salzburg in the past, and Sky Sport Austria pointed to evidence suggesting Minamino could also be of great use to Liverpool:

Savvy acquisitions like James Milner, a free transfer, and £3.5 million Joe Gomez show signs of Liverpool's improving transfer nous as far back as 2015. Academy product Trent Alexander-Arnold has also grown to become one of Europe's best full-backs and is still just 21.

There's little doubting Klopp's knack to develop those players at his disposal, however, and Liverpool's ability to lure promising talents will only increase as they move closer to their first Premier League title in 30 years.