Liverpool have agreed a deal to sign Diogo Jota from Wolverhamtpon Wanderers, and the forward is on his way to Melwood to complete his medicals ahead of the transfer.
The Premier League champions would pay Wolves the sum of £45m and it is believed that the departure of Ki-Jana Hoever to the West Midlands for £10m could also be factored into the deal.
Liverpool have agreed a deal for Wolves forward Diogo Jota, with the 23-year-old set to head to Melwood today to undergo a medical before completing the deal. 🤝🔴
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) September 19, 2020
Jota is yet to appear for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side this season and reportedly departed the Molineux ahead of Wolves’ Carabao Cup fixture with Stoke City on Thursday, while he was an unused substitute in the 2-0 Premier League victory over Sheffield United.
The Portuguese international has been with Wolves since 2017 after signing from Porto initially on loan and he helped the side secure promotion to the top flight, finishing as top-scorer as the West Midlands side won the Championship.
He has since been usurped by Raul Jimenez as the focal point of attack but Diogo Jota still boasts impressive numbers, with 44 goals and 19 assists from 131 matches in all competitions for Wolves.
After starting the transfer window slowly, Liverpool have actively begun making moves and the signing of Diogo Jota follows on the heels of them completing the transfer of Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich on Friday.
Jota’s arrival at Liverpool would make him the 4th-most expensive signing in the club’s history, after Virgil Van Dijk, Alisson Becker, and Naby Keita; all of whom were signed in the last three years.
How would the arrival of Diogo Jota affect the Liverpool attack?
Liverpool are widely regarded as having the best forward line in the Premier League and arguably the most potent in the world.
The trio of Mo Salah, Sadio Mane, and Roberto Firmino have played a major part in the successes enjoyed by the club in the last two years and their almost telepathic connection on the field proves a handful for opposition defenses to handle.
The three players are key components of Klopp’s tactics and when fit, they almost always get to play.
This has been a major cause of consternation among fans of the club, as beyond the trio, there is not much quality in attack.
Neither Xhedhan Shaqiri nor Divock Origi have performed at the levels required and moving forward, this is unacceptable for a club of Liverpool’s standards.
Firmino is the player who gets to play the most and the Brazilian international has made more appearances than any other outfield player since his arrival in 2016.
Although his importance is without doubt, it should be remembered that the players are very much human like the rest of us and while different players have different tolerance and fitness levels, the congested campaign ahead is sure to test even the most durable players.
The backlog of fixtures in four different competitions would stretch Liverpool’s playing resources to the maximum and Klopp needs as many top players as possible to call upon.
This is where Jota’s arrival would come in handy, as the 23-year-old would provide the necessary cover and improve Liverpool’s squad depth significantly.
Although he is primarily a center-forward, the former Porto man can play anywhere across the front-line and this versatility makes him a useful addition to the squad.
The fact that he cost £45m would see him get his fair share of playing time and Firmino would finally get the long-needed competition for a starting berth that fans have been clamoring for.
The former Hoffenheim man has gotten a lot of stick for his low numbers in front of goal but Klopp has been adamant that Firmino offers a lot more to his side than putting the ball in the back of the net.
Some of Firmino’s best qualities are also imbibed in Diogo Jota, who is blessed with an excellent ability to drop back and play between the lines or off the shoulders of defenders and he is also adept at holding up play to bring his teammates into action.
His arrival could also add more fuel to the fire surrounding the future of Mo Salah, with speculation swirling that the Egyptian international wants to leave the club amidst links to Barcelona.
Whether Salah goes or stays, the fact of the matter is that Digo Jota is soon to become a Liverpool player and together with the addition of Thiago Alcantara, the Reds are definitely a better team than the one that won the title convincingly last season.
The rest of the Premier League would do well to take note.
