Liverpool star Diogo Jota has seen a flying start to his Reds career and club legend John Barnes explains why he’s had an instant impact.
Diogo Jota has fit in seamlessly at Anfield because Liverpool bought a player that suits their style, says Barnes.
The Portuguese star already has seven goals in 11 appearances since he joined the Reds from Wolves in a £45m move over the summer.
His tireless running and keen eye for goal have allowed him to star across the minutes he has been given. Jota has an impressive run of form that has seen him score six times in his last four outings in all competitions. This includes a brilliant hat-trick against Atalanta in the Champions League from midweek.
His form has even given Klopp a selection headache with many calling for the player to start ahead of Firmino.
Barnes admits that Jota is staking a serious claim for a No.9 role, but is eager to point out that none of the attackers available to Liverpool (including Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane) would be as productive elsewhere.
The Liverpool legend says the player’s good form is down to brilliant recruitment from the club.
Barnes said as quoted by Goal: “Klopp buys players that fit into his system. If Diogo Jota went to another club he won’t be able to do what he’s doing at Liverpool, neither would Sadio Mane, neither would Mohamed Salah.”
“Klopp is not turning them into good players, they are good players, Liverpool’s system and style suits them.”
“If Jota goes to Barcelona, for example, he won’t go there and score loads of goals or play as well. I don’t think any of the Liverpool players would and that’s what the club wants, to find players who can suit their system to be successful.”
“It doesn’t matter whether they’re doing it at other clubs or not, look at Fabinho, he might have been wanted by Manchester City or Barcelona but he does well at Liverpool because Klopp knows how he wants his team to play.”
“Jota is a fantastic player, but there’s no way that Jota would be able to go to Real Madrid and do the same thing, it’s all down to Jurgen Klopp and finding those players that suits his style.”
Regardless, Barnes believes Jota will not replace Roberto Firmino in the Liverpool line-up.
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