By Andy Jones.
Liverpool and Jürgen Klopp continue to add to their squad this summer, securing the services of Portuguese forward Diogo Jota from Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The deal is worth £45m, with 18-year-old defender Ki-Jana Hoever going in the other direction for a fee of £9m plus a potential £4.5m in add-ons.
Jota, 23, has been one of Wolves’ best players over the past three seasons. Initially on loan from Atlético during the club’s promotion charge of 2017/18, the club exercised the option to buy and brought Jota in on a permanent deal for £12.8m after their promotion back to the Premier League.
The forward has made 131 appearances, scoring 44 goals, including two hat-tricks in last season’s Europa League against Besiktas and Espanyol respectively.
ICYMI: #LFC seal £45m deal for Diogo Jota from Wolves as Ki-Jana Hoever goes in the opposite direction for a fee rising to £13.5m.
Full details here on why Liverpool went for Jota rather than Sarr and what they believe he will bring to the squad. https://t.co/NxxUnp4V81— James Pearce (@JamesPearceLFC) September 19, 2020
Klopp will be delighted to bring in an extra attacker and bolster his options in the forward line. Jota will add depth and alongside Takumi Minamino and Divock Origi. He will be expected to act as cover for the prolific trio of Roberto Firmino, Mohammed Salah and Sadio Mane, should they fall foul of injuries or a bad run of form.
The deal also sees Liverpool’s promising Dutch defender, Hoever, go the other way. The deal of £9m plus potential add ons and a 15% sell-on clause sees Liverpool’s net transfer spend at £30.5m, and the deal is seen as good business by both clubs.
The Merseyside club are getting a Portuguese International for the best years of his career, and he could flourish under Klopp and his coaching staff.
Likewise, Wolves have grabbed an exciting young prospect in Hoever — a player who also fits in with their transfer policy of signing young, talented players they can develop. The fee they received for Jota will see them make a tidy profit on a player who has served the club with distinction.
Liverpool fans will be getting excited after the signing of playmaker Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich earlier this week, and with Kostas Tsimikas having already joined earlier in the summer, Koppites fears of a quiet transfer window will have been put to rest as they hunt down back to back titles.
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