Forget Thiago Alacantara! Here's why Diogo Jota could be Liverpool's best signing this season
After signing midfielder Thiago Alcantara and Wolves forward, Diogo Jota, defending champions Liverpool will be mighty pleased with how their transfer window has shaped up. The Reds were off to a nervous start as Leeds United came inches to denying their 4-3 win at Anfield. Alcantara was one of their high-profile signings as even as fans were rejoicing his entry to the side, Liverpool had swooped in on Jota confirming a five-year deal for an initial sum of $58M (£41M).
The team has had their eyes on the Jota for the last couple of years. He's a versatile player with extreme pace and the skill to play different positions and this would have prompted manager, Jurgen Klopp to make the move and that means Jota will be facing some stiff competition from the likes of the current heavyweights, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, for a place in the starting side. There is no doubt Jota is an impressive striker as he's netted a career-best 17 goals in his first year on loan with the Wolves.
There's more to the signing than just competition. Jota's skillset means there's less pressure on the likes of Salah, Mane and Roberto Firmino. If consistency and determination were the hallmarks, his ability to read the game and play across the front line just adds to his impressive CV. Quite simply, while all eyes will be on Alcantaraz, there is no denying that Jota is as integral to the Reds setup as the midfielder. The 23-year-old Portuguese forward made his debut against Everton in 2019 playing the entire game. His first goal came against Chelsea that saw the Wolves edge the blues 2-1.
He followed this up with some scintillating plays. Despite the 4-3 loss to Leicester City, Jota was the one to net it thrice and the achievement marked his second career hat-trick. It also made Jota the second Portuguese player after Cristiano Ronaldo to achieve the feat. In his two years with the Wolves, Jota has had 67 appearances and 16 goals. The Wolves finished seventh last season and with the likes of Jota in their ranks, they will be fancying their chances in the top four.
It's fair to say his run in the Premier League is much like a sine wave. But there's a lot of potential and under Klopp, Jota can make massive strides. Last season, he came under fire for his assists or shall we say, the lack of them. He's made just one assist last season compared to his 18/19 start. While some of his assists actually had poor finishing, things will be different with the Reds as Klopp's men pounce at scoring opportunities, something Jota brings to the table.
According to Express, Jota is placed 13th in the Premier League with 66 successful dribbles. This puts him just ahead of West Ham's Michail Antonio and just behind Mane. Safe to say, Jota is set to be one of the influential players for Liverpool this season and with his multi-faceted gameplay, Klopp and Co. will look at him to add some wins under their belt.
