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Liverpool is closing in on a £ 45 million deal to sign winger Diogo Jota from the Wolves.
The Portuguese will sign a five-year contract with the Premier League champions, becoming his third signing of the summer after the acquisitions of Kostas Tsimikas and Thiago Alcantara.
The Reds will pay at least £ 41 million for the 23-year-old, with another £ 4 million in add-ons related to the league and European success also included in the deal.
The Wolves’ willingness to accept just under 10 percent of the guaranteed rate over the next 12 months is understood to play a key role in the deal to get over the line.
That figure will be largely offset by Ki-Jana Hoever’s impending move in the opposite direction, a deal that suits both parties in the post-Covid market.
Closure: Diogo Jota is set to join Liverpool in a £ 45 million deal Photo: Getty Images
Jota topped a three-man shortlist drawn up when the Reds sought a suitable backing for Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah this summer.
Watford forward Ismaila Sarr also appeared, but the Hornets’ refusal to back down on a valuation starting at £ 40 million and exceeding the £ 50 million that brought Richarlison to Everton in 2018 ended any hope of a deal.
Liverpool believe they are getting the best deal by signing a player who has long been admired by Jurgen Klopp and his coaching staff.
Jota’s two feet, tactical flexibility and pace of work mean he is believed to be a perfect fit with the Reds, who believe they can make him a future star.
Pep Lijnders also received rave reviews of the player’s character from his contacts in Portugal, a key consideration for any addition to what is a tight-knit dressing room.
Jota has scored 16 goals in 67 Premier League appearances for Wolves since helping them seal promotion to the Championship.
