On Saturday Wolves agreed to let go of one of their stars, Diogo Jota, as he joins Liverpool for a fee said to be £45m.
Liverpool, with one of the biggest misdirection this summer transfer window. While having the world focus on the arrival of midfield maestro Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich, they sneak in the transfer of Diogo Jota from Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The deal sees the Portuguese commit his future to the Merseyside outfit for the next five years with the transfer tally reaching £45m in total. A payment of £41m upfront, with the rest dependent on performance and appearance bonuses that would eventually take it up to the £45m earmarked.
"Diogo Jota will join Liverpool on a five-year deal from Wolves for an initial £41million, further highlighting the club’s ambition to retain the Premier League title.The package could rise to £45m depending on appearances as well as the Merseysiders’ success domestically and on the continent."
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While the Reds broke the internet on Thursday and Friday with Thiago celebrations, they were subtly busy on their next summer signing. Immediately after, they were showing strong interest in relegated Watford’s Ismaila Sarr.
Following the Sarr links, the Anfield side quickly redirected their attention somewhere else. The asking price for the 22-year-old Senegal international was too steep and they were unable to justify what Watford was asking for.
Hornet’s hierarchy wanted between £36-£45m for their club-record signing. Adding to this, knowing how scorned their relationship is in transfer dealings with the Watford owner, Gino Pozzo, dating back to Piotr Zieliński, he would have certainly disagreed to any sort of pay structure suiting Liverpool.
Saying the Reds acted with haste is an understatement. All eyes were on Sarr but at the same time chopping away to finding an agreement for 23-year-old Jota. The Wanderers were opposed to selling him but knew there was little to nothing they could do with the Premier League champions knocking and funds tight at the club.
"The club had enquired over Watford’s Ismaila Sarr, but initial discussions centered around receiving a record fee for the Senegal international. The package was deemed too pricey and, unlike Wolves, the Hornets were not amenable to staggered payment terms.They accepted just shy of 10 percent of the guaranteed figure in the next 12 months, which is all nearly offset by defender Ki-Jana Hoever moving in the opposite direction for a total of £13.5m. (Via: independent.co.uk)"
Thankfully Wolves loss came with a massive gain as Liverpool’s promising Dutch fullback, Ki-Jana Hoever, join as their fourth signing of the summer for £13.5m. Great business displayed by both Premier League clubs.
Jota joins Liverpool as a versatile backup option with the potential to be a starter in the future, considering he is only 23-years-old. This is the principal reason Jurgen Klopp wanted him at the club, with the manager also highlighting his “intelligence” as the main attraction.
It’s time… #JotaSaturday 🤩 pic.twitter.com/2Z8Tav8lBw
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 19, 2020
As previously stated several times, the manager is working on connecting the gap between the substitution selection and the first-time starters. Supplementing, the qualities of Diogo will put pressure on the front three to deliver.
If Roberto Firmino goes on strike in front of goal, suffering from a goal drought as he did during last season, Jota could slot in with ease.