Why Jota is the one attacker Liverpool can't sell next summer
Cameron Smith
- 26 Sept 2021 09:27 BST
- 5 min read
Liverpool's front three has arguably been Jurgen Klopp's greatest success story at the club.
Joining in successive years, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, and Mohamed Salah became the most feared trio in the Premier League, if not the entirety of world football.
The pace and incisive runs in behind from Mane and Salah perfectly complimented Firmino's playmaking ability and tendency to drop deep thanks to his past as a No.10, and they were almost impossible to stop.
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Fast forward to the present day, and their impact as a trio is still impressive, but it's not even close to their peak level. That's why in 2020, Liverpool decided to sign Diogo Jota from Wolves in an attempt to freshen up their attack.
The fee, a reported £45 million, was seen as excessive at the time, especially given the fact Jota had netted just seven Premier League goals in 34 games during his final season at Wolves, however, since swapping Molineux for Anfield, Jota has paid back almost every penny of that deal. While he's yet to win a trophy for Liverpool, the Portuguese star has forced his way into Klopp's first choice starting XI, and is now a vital piece of the Reds' puzzle.
His impact was seen almost immediately upon signing; he netted nine Premier League goals in just 12 starts in his debut campaign at Anfield, which included scoring the final goal in a 3-1 victory over Arsenal on his Reds debut.
He also scored four goals in his first three Champions League games for the club, including an away hat-trick in 65 minutes against Atalanta.
With 13 goals in all competitions last season, despite not being a regular starter, Jota had a quietly impressive debut campaign, and he's stepped it up a notch this time around.
Jota's 2021/22
In five Premier League starts so far this term, Jota has scored three goals, against Norwich, Burnley, and in their 3-3 draw with Brentford.
That tally is the same number as Mane, and more than Firmino. While the Brazilian 'false nine' was almost always a starter last season, he's mustered just one league start this season, with Jota being the preferred option.
A fresh, and new option in the final third has added spark to Liverpool's attack, and Jota's goal-scoring exploits have left Firmino as second choice.
As well as impressing on a scoring front at club level, Jota is also impressing with his underlying numbers. His 3.5 shots per 90 ranks seventh in the Premier League of players with over 300 minutes, while his 2.3 key passes per 90 ranks 14th using the same metric.
He seems to almost always score, and his ability in the air is a huge asset, despite how surprising it is considering his height. With a non-penalty xG+xA per 90 tally of 1.01 at the moment, Jota is expected to score or assist every time he plays 90 minutes for Liverpool, and while that might drop down, it's certainly an encouraging start, especially given it's the best in the Reds' squad.
Why Jota is the one attacker Liverpool can't sell next summer
Firmino's lack of clinical finishing has left many suggesting Liverpool need an upgrade over the years, and while Jota isn't a true central striker, he more than does the job there.
Furthermore, with the Brazilian shunned to the side right now, he could well leave Anfield next summer. With his contract expiring in 2023, next summer is the last chance for Liverpool to earn any money for Firmino, unless they tie him down to a new deal.
However, the biggest worry about all three of Firmino, Mane, and Salah, is that they're now 29. They are all approaching 30, and next summer seems like the final feasible opportunity to return a nice profit, and reinvest in the squad.
It does seem like a year or two late for both Firmino and Mane, and Salah is as good as ever, so selling any of the three might not be the best idea, but one of them should really be let go.
When they sold Philippe Coutinho, Liverpool did it at the right time, earning far more money than they should've, but they'd sold a superstar. If they'd have played their cards right, one of the current front three, excluding Jota, would already have been sold for huge money. Key to remaining at the top is knowing when to sell your star players, and Liverpool might have missed their opportunity.
However, one thing they can't do is sell Jota. He may well attract a bigger fee than Firmino or Mane, but at 24, he's the future of the attack, and selling him would be foolish if they go back to the trio of 29 year old's up top.
Salah is still key to everything Liverpool do, but even he could be sold if the right offer came in. A younger replacement could be brought in for him or Mane, and while it might not improve Liverpool right now, it would later down the line.
Ideally, Liverpool would freshen up their attack, with a Federico Chiesa or an Amine Gouiri perhaps, while adding to the youth of their squad. However, Jota is the one man who can't be sold to make that happen due to his age, his talent, and the decline of Firmino, who needs to be the one Liverpool offload in 2022.
