A new documentary has shed light on Liverpool’s recruitment process, revealing how data analysis played a crucial role in convincing Jurgen Klopp to sign Mohamed Salah.
In 2017, Klopp had identified Julian Brandt as his top target, but Liverpool’s research team, led by former director of research Ian Graham, presented data and video evidence that suggested Salah was the better option.
Graham recalled: “We agreed that Brandt was a very good young player, but not a standout in the same way that Mo was. From our data analysis point of view, Mo was the best young wide forward in Europe, full stop.”
Klopp was eventually won over by the data, and Liverpool signed Salah from Roma for £34m. The Egyptian has since become a Liverpool legend, scoring 243 goals and registering 109 assists in 393 appearances.
The documentary highlights the importance of data analysis in Liverpool’s recruitment process, which was instrumental in the club’s success under Klopp. Graham explained: “Our data approach needed a trophy, and the Champions League win was validation that data can be of help in recruitment.”
Klopp’s willingness to engage with data analysis was a key factor in Liverpool’s success, and Graham praised the manager’s open-minded approach: “Jurgen is very happy to thank us for our suggestions to have stopped some of the less sensible signings, which at the time caused big arguments but, in retrospect, he could see this was a good process for signing players.”