Liverpool to pay just £ 4 million this year for Diogo Jota

Liverpool have negotiated a deal with the Wolves for Diogo Jota that will see them pay just £ 4 million this year for the Portuguese winger.

Jota will join Liverpool in an initial £ 41 million transfer that could rise to £ 45 million, but the trade of Dutch teenager Ki-Jana Hoever means the Reds will pay less than 10% of the fee for the next 12 months.

The athletic claim that the willingness of the ‘Wolves’ to be flexible in terms of payment was crucial. They have accepted less than 10 percent of the guaranteed figure in the next 12 months. The vast majority of that is offset by Wolves’ initial payment for the Hoever deal.

That perhaps explains why Liverpool have completed this deal while resisting a similar fee for proven striker Timo Werner.

Jota scored seven goals in the Premier League last season, but was by no means a first-choice forward for Wolves; did not come off the bench last week against Sheffield United.

#LFC They are not signing the Jota that people see in Los Lobos. In the same way we do not sign the Mane of Southampton. Or the Salah in Rome. We are signing a player with a very high ceiling that we can go from good to great.

– Yes Steers (@sisteers) September 18, 2020

Teenage Dutch defender Hoever will go the other direction, joining the Wolves for an initial £ 9 million which could rise to £ 13.5 million depending on various add-ons.

The news of this deal broke the day that Liverpool confirmed their initial £ 20 million contract for Thiago.

Liverpool had targeted Watford’s Ismaila Sarr, but it appears the Hornets were asking for an initial £ 40m for the winger (topping £ 50m) and the Reds didn’t like those numbers or the pay structure.