Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders has heaped praise onto Diogo Jota after his return to pre-season with the Reds.
The Portugal international has shown real promise since moving to Liverpool from Wolves last summer, and one imagines he could have had an even bigger impact if not for injuries that kept him out for so much of the 2020/21 campaign.
Jota also caught the eye with Portugal at Euro 2020 this summer, but is now back with Liverpool, and Lijnders has lauded the qualities of the 24-year-old.
Lijnders has described Jota as “frightening” with his direct style, which he feels also makes the player a great fit for Jurgen Klopp’s style of play at Anfield.
“It’s great Diogo has joined us because you see immediately the speed he has and, at the same time, so much control over his body and the ball,” Lijnders is quoted by the Metro.
“It’s frightening. He gives our front line a lot of direction and energy.
“Diogo is not a typical Portuguese winger who receives the ball in his feet and creates disorganisation with dribbles from outside.
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“Diogo is vertical, a second striker in the box, a pure Liverpool winger. He smells the goal, is technically on a high level. Especially with our passing game we need Diogo’s movements in behind the last line. He defends on a high level.”
Liverpool fans will no doubt hope to see much more of Jota in the season ahead, especially as there is surely some cause for concern over the form of Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino.
Neither player was anything close to their best for much of last season, and it would be ideal if Jota could now step up to replace one of them in Klopp’s starting XI.