Diogo Jota: Transfer Breakdown

Diogo Jota’s 40 Million Pound transfer to Liverpool is quite strange for a number of reasons. From there being no rumours, to Wolves selling one of their best players and Liverpool paying so much for someone who they do not really need. A comprehensive breakdown of the ins and outs of this move and why it happened.

I am just confused. Liverpool signed Diogo Jota from Wolves for 40 Million pounds, there was little to no rumour and very little reason for either club to engage. Wolves have lost one of their key players, Liverpool certainly do not need to spend that amount of money on a forward and this transfer just all around makes no sense. Diogo Jota to Liverpool is an interesting transfer with many dimensions .

Diogo Jota has been one of Wolves’ and the Premier League’s standout players over the past 2 seasons. He scored 2 hat-tricks in last season’s Europa League, even scoring one off the bench in just 11 minutes against Besiktas. Why then, would Wolves want to sell him? I understand they signed 18-year-old Fabio Silva from Porto for 44 Million pounds. However, Fabio Silva is still young and extremely unproven in the Premier League. Wolves’ squad is also notorious for lacking depth, with 6 players having appeared in every league game last campaign. Not only was Jota a key squad member but he would also be effective in nurturing Silva to the tempo of the Premier League.

Liverpool have one of the most unchangeable, coherent and effective frontlines in the world. Mane, Salah and Firmino scored 46 goals all together, in the league last season. Keep in mind the Firmino isn’t really a goal scorer. This is why Jota’s transfer is so strange, if Liverpool wanted some depth, they have Xherdan Shaqiri and Takumi Minamino out wide, as well as Mo Salah having the ability to feature in the center. Another obviously strange reason for this transfer is the price; 40 Million Pounds for a benchwarmer. Liverpool made 41.9 Million pounds in profit according to the financial accounts published in May 2019. I am not saying that they have no money, Liverpool had a turnover of 533 million pounds in the same set of accounts, those were record numbers. Liverpool have now just spent record-breaking amounts of money, on someone who, I suspect, is a rotational squad member. Add to that the fact that the Reds want to expand Anfield and pay off their remaining debt. Liverpool have very little reason to be spending such ludicrous sums on players who they don’t need.

I want to end this by talking about the role that Jota may serve at Anfield. Jota is a versatile player, capable of playing, as the number 9, just behind the number 9 and even out wide. As we all know Liverpool have lacked a true striker for many seasons now. Firmino plays a very specific role, helping the widemen score the bulk of Liverpool’s goal. They were long time pursuers of Timo Werner, until he signed for Chelsea during this window. Jurgen Klopp may see Jota a perfect rotation player with Roberto Firmino, Jota could come on when Liverpool are truly in need of a late goal. But, then again, would a usually frugal, Jurgen Klopp, want to spend 40 Million Pounds on a rotational player. Jota’s signing would mean one of 3 things, either Firmino or Jota will grow unhappy with the amount of gametime, Liverpool will have to change their very effective play style to suit both players or the Reds are looking to off load Firmino. I don’t think any of these 3 options are ideal for Liverpool. This transfer is very strange from all perspectives, however, if he continues the same way he did against Arsenal, this may not be a bad piece of business for Liverpool.