- 8 hours ago
Jurgen Klopp: Diogo Jota was a target from the first game I saw him
Nicholas Hughes
- Updated: 23 May 2023 08:47 CDT
- 3 min read
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has admitted he has been an admirer of Diogo Jota from the moment he first saw him in England with Wolves.
The Portuguese star arrived at Molineux in the summer of 2017 – just months after Wolves had beaten Liverpool at Anfield in the FA Cup – and fired 17 goals to help propel the side into the Premier League.
His first season in the top flight produced nine goals and five assists, and his form caught the eye of Klopp who said he was always going to go for the player when he got the chance.
“For me it was always clear that when he was kind of in reach I would go for him,” he told UEFA.com.
The German labelled him “very, very interesting” and praised his discipline and creativity as well as the passion and work ethic he showed during his time under Nuno Espirito Santo.
“I got a lot of good signs before we signed him that it could work out,” he added.
The 23-year-old has been in world-beating form since making the move to Anfield, adapting immediately by scoring on his league debut off the bench against Arsenal.
Diogo Jota’s blistering start to life at Anfield
| Statistic | Jota |
| Appearances | 14 |
| Goals | 9 |
| xG90 | 0.46 |
| Dribbles P90 | 4.6 |
| Chances created P90 | 0.86 |
Jota has gone on to score in every Premier League game at Anfield since then, racking up nine goals in 14 appearances for the club, on top of three strikes and an assist in eight internationals thus far.
Initially brought in to be a depth signing, Jota has propelled himself right to the top of the conversation alongside Liverpool’s heavy hitters up front and is one of the first names on the team sheet at the moment.
It seems Klopp’s long-term planning for the Portuguese has worked, as not only have the goals been impressive but the way in which he has fit into the system has been nigh on perfect from a Liverpool point of view.
His implementation of the press, ability to play with his feet and help create as well as beat the last line and score goals makes him a complete threat for the Reds and he is certainly now one of the form forwards in the league.
He will be hoping to continue this run of form and help Liverpool maintain a title push this season, and with his quality and the confidence flowing through him, there could be yet more to come from him.
