Liverpool head coach Arne Slot doesn’t see a future for Diogo Jota at Anfield, according to a significant new update regarding the Portuguese.
Jota has been a brilliant player for the Reds, when fit, with 64 goals coming in 168 appearances, plenty of which have been from the substitutes’ bench.
Injury problems have constantly held the 28-year-old back, however, not allowing him to enjoy lengthy stints of action in the team.
That has again been an issue for Jota this season, who has been limited to only eight starts in the Premier League, netting on five occasions in the competition.
According to Football Insider, the Portugal international “does not fit into the long-term plans” of Slot, with Liverpool “planning a new centre forward signing this summer”.
The Reds are also believed to be “seeking an upgrade on Darwin Nunez”, with the Uruguayan continuing to flatter to deceive at Anfield, despite now being in his third season at the club.
Right time to sell Jota?
Jota’s quality as a footballer is undeniable, with the striker arguably Liverpool’s most ruthless finisher, not to mention working hard and being great in the air for his size, as Kevin Phillips once lauded him for, saying:
“For the size of him, it’s incredible. He is a hell of a player who has everything in his locker. He is a top player.”
Sadly, Jota’s aforementioned injury woes are a huge issue, however, and the fact that he is now 28 means that they are unlikely to get any better.
Availability is such a priceless asset in any footballer, as Mohamed Salah has shown during his eight years at Liverpool, but the same cannot be said of the Reds’ No.20.
If Slot doesn’t believe he can rely on Jota moving forward, he needs to be trusted, and with his current deal expiring in 2027, this summer may be the right time to cash in on him.
The same applies to Nunez, who offers less than Jota, while the jury is also out on Luis Diaz, with the Colombian struggling in a central role at times this season and not always delivering enough end product.
It could, therefore, be all change down the middle of Liverpool’s attack at the end of the campaign, with a new centre forward a must.
