Liverpool’s research department was amazed that the club encountered little in the way of competition for Diogo Jota’s signature last summer, as reported by Melissa Reddy.
The Portuguese international has enjoyed a positive start to the season with two goals in the club’s opening league fixtures.
“There is a joke amongst Liverpool’s research department, housing the esteemed Ian Graham and his team of six industry-leading data science brainiacs, that Diogo Jota’s shot maps should be hanging up in a museum,” the journalist wrote for the Independent. “There is also still complete bemusement amongst them that the club had a free run at recruiting the ridiculously efficient Portugal international from Wolves last September.”
It follows a similar trajectory to the forward’s start to life in a Red shirt last term, in which he registered five league goals in his first nine appearances in the English top-flight.
It’s telling just how highly Jurgen Klopp rates Jota that usual starter Bobby Firmino was overlooked in favour of the former Wolves star.
That’s no slight to the Brazilian either, who also began the 2020/21 campaign with a goal after coming on for the No.20 against Norwich City.
Should the forward manage to avoid any injuries early in the season, there’s no telling where his form will take him, or Liverpool for that matter.
What exactly is Liverpool’s transfer plan? Will this ‘big summer’ ever come?