Jurgen Klopp was encouraged by Sadio Mane’s first outing for Liverpool as the £30 million attacker provided a peek of the qualities he will add to the club in a 1-0 friendly win over Tranmere.
The Senegal international, signed from Southampton on a five-year deal to become the third-most expensive player in club's history, started the encounter at Prenton Park and was the most eye-catching of the new recruits.
Goalkeeper Loris Karius, acquired for £4.7m from Mainz and defender Joel Matip, secured on a free from Schalke, also enjoyed their first outings for Liverpool.
Klopp said: “Sadio was the most impressive player in the first half from the new players because he had really good moments and linked brilliantly together with Roberto Firmino, so that was really good and everyone could see ‘Oooh, a good transfer.’
"And everyone who didn’t see it - all of Liverpool country as Mama[dou] Sakho would say - tell them it’s a really good transfer!
“I was quite satisfied. He had an exciting week or 10 days. He trained a lot in his break, did what he had to do and now he is here. He is a very, very nice guy and a good football player.
“Everybody could see in the first half, with really tired legs he really played a good game. He could have scored, could have done one or the other thing a little bit better, but he was fine.”
On Karius, the manager added: “Loris is a good goalkeeper, there is no doubt about this. That’s why we made the transfer!”
Cameroon international Matip, however, needed to have a screw removed from his ankle at the interval.
“Joel Matip had a little surgery during the break – he had a screw in his ankle – so they had to take it out because it was an old injury.
“He got a little bit of an infection and he’s only been two weeks in training. You could see in the first half he couldn’t jump, which is actually one of his big strengths, so he lost one or two headed challenges.
“That’s the moment, that’s how pre-season is – you watch it and you say ‘that’s OK, that’s not OK’ and you work on it or ignore or whatever.” - Goal