Liverpool have announced the signing of Diogo Jota, who joins the Reds from Wolverhampton Wanderers on a long-term deal.
Liverpool have made an official statement to confirm that they have secured the services of Diogo Jota. The Portuguese international has penned a long-term contract with the Premier League champions, who have reportedly paid an initial £41 million fee, which could rise to £45 million with add-ons.
D I ⚽️ G ⚽️ J ⚽️ T A pic.twitter.com/s5yHBZ3gfq
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 19, 2020
Diogo Jota joined Wolves from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2018, as the Midlands side looked to strengthen their squad after gaining promotion to the Premier League. The 23-year-old subsequently became a pivotal part of Nuno Espirito Santo’s squad, amassing 131 appearances, in which he had a solid return of 44 goals and 19 assists.
However, Jota’s future at the Molineux became increasingly uncertain this week after he missed Wolves’ Carabao Cup second round fixture against Stoke City. Manager Nuno Espirito Santo did not offer an explanation as to why Jota was nowhere to be seen, but it soon became clear that the Portuguese forward was inching closer to a move to Liverpool.
The first links emerged on Friday, with widespread reports suggesting that Liverpool had already agreed a deal with Wolves for the player. The move has now been completed, with Jota joining the Premier League champions on a long-term contract. As part of the deal, young Dutch defender Ki-Jana Hoever has made his way to the Molineux.
As per the BBC, Liverpool are entitled to pay Wolves an initial £41 million, which could rise to £45 million with add-ons. However, the net outlay for the Merseyside club is around £30 million, with Wolves paying them £9 million plus £4.5 million in bonuses for Hoever. As for Jota, he expressed his delight at making the move to Liverpool.
It’s time… #JotaSaturday ? pic.twitter.com/2Z8Tav8lBw
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 19, 2020
“It’s just a really exciting moment for me and my family. All of my path since I was a kid and now, to join a club like Liverpool – the world champions – is just unbelievable. I just want to get started. It’s one of the best teams in the world – the best at the moment because they are world champions.”
The move for Jota makes a great deal of sense considering how Jurgen Klopp has often struggled for backup options to the first-choice trio of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino. That Jota can play across the frontline is an added bonus for Liverpool, especially amid Divock Origi’s uncertain future at Anfield.
Jota would, thus, be a viable replacement for Origi and more. For now, the 23-year-old is the third summer arrival at Anfield after Thiago Alcantara and Kostas Tsimikas. It will now be interesting to see how Jota fares in the latest phase of his career, with Liverpool.
