Liverpool are splashing the cash after becoming Premier League champions, just as they did in 2020 when they forked out £45million to bring in Diogo Jota from Wolves
Wolves chairman Jeff Shi has revealed that he regrets selling Diogo Jota to Liverpool. Jota, 28, joined the Reds in September 2020 as part of a £45million transfer deal.
At the time, it was a club-record sale for Wolves – a record which now belongs to the £62.5m it took for Manchester United to sign Matheus Cunha last month. Jota’s move came after three impressive years at Molineux, scoring 44 goals and providing 13 assists, as he helped Wolves earn promotion from the Championship and establish themselves as a top-half Premier League side.
Jurgen Klopp took notice of the forward and he was snapped up to become part of Liverpool’s Premier League title defence. Injuries have hampered Jota’s time on Merseyside but he’s still been a successful signing, hitting 21 goals in his best season for the Reds three years ago, and helping them win the Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup during his five-year stint.
But Shi wishes that the Portuguese was still wearing old gold. “In the last nine or eight years, I think we shouldn’t have sold Diogo Jota,” the Wolves chief admitted on the Business of Sport podcast. “At that time, I spoke with Nuno (Espirito Santo) and we may sell one of the players, maybe Diogo, Adama (Traore), whatever.
“Then Nuno chose Adama to stay, because he thinks maybe Adama was so important for how he played. So we sold Diogo. Of course, at the time, Diogo was injured a little bit too much, you know?
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“So he was injured for two months, then two months again or whatever, and then not playing so well in the last three, four months for us.
“But he went to Liverpool, he did so well, and I was very happy for him. He was a very good guy and a smart boy. But if you ask me if I can change the history, I wouldn’t have sold him.”
Traore ended up leaving Wolves for nothing in 2023, signing for Fulham on a free transfer. Jota, meanwhile, remains at Liverpool, having signed a contract extension until 2027.
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Despite the Reds’ success last term, Jota had his least prolific season when it comes to total goal contributions. The Portugal international directly contributed to 12 goals, the least in a single season during his time at Anfield.
Jota did, however, made 37 appearances, more than the previous two campaigns. The 28-year-old will have to fight for his place in the starting line-up again next season, especially with Florian Wirtz having joined in a club-record £116m deal.
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