Jota signs new long-term deal as Reds prepare for Premier League opener

Liverpool FC got the perfect boost ahead of Saturday’s opening Premier League fixture of the season against Fulham FC, with the news that Diogo Jota has penned a new long-term deal at the club.

The good news just keeps on coming for fans of Liverpool Football Club.

Diogo Jota, so impressive since joining the club from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2020, has signed a new contract to remain at Anfield in the long term.

The Portuguese forward follows the likes of Joe Gomez, Mohamed Salah and manager Jürgen Klopp in committing his future to Anfield and his new deal recognises the impact Jota has made since scoring on his first Premier League appearance for the Reds against Arsenal FC.

Jota has scored 34 times across his first two seasons at LFC and his boss couldn’t be happier that he has extended his deal.

“What Diogo has brought to this team and this club since he arrived is there for all to see, so it is really good news that he has signed a new contract,” enthused Klopp.

“Brilliant, brilliant news, I would say.

“His qualities are obvious. He scores goals – not a bad quality – he works unbelievably hard for the team, his pressing and counter-pressing are on an unbelievable level, he can play in all of our attacking roles and he has an incredible attitude. Not a bad package. Not bad at all.

“As a striker who can play on the wing, he gives us so many options and since he came to Liverpool he has improved so much.

“I have said before that Diogo is the player we hoped he would be but also a little bit better, so long may this continue.”

Jota, currently recovering from injury, can’t wait for the new season to begin and is delighted to have his long-term future sorted out.

“Well, [I’m] really proud,” said the 25-year-old.

“Obviously since I arrived two years ago I established myself as an important player in this team – that’s what I wanted from the beginning.

“Now, signing a new long-term deal, it’s obviously from the club’s perspective proof of the belief in myself as a player. For me, obviously it’s really good to establish I’ll be here for a while. So, the beginning of a new season, let’s do it.”

Preparations for Saturday’s Premier League opener at Fulham FC, meanwhile, are well under way following a weekend that saw an impressive 3-1 win over Manchester City FC in the FA Community Shield on Saturday and defeat by RC Strasbourg Alsace on Sunday.

“The performance from the lads [against City] was unbelievable, from the boys that came on to the boys that started,” Harvey Elliott, who hopes to face his former club at Craven Cottage, told LiverpoolFC.com.

“No-one looked tired and no-one looked lethargic in any areas of the game. To top it off with a win proved and showed what our performance was like. It’s all credit to the boys who played a part and just as a team we stuck together throughout pre-season.

“That’s all credit to us and the coaching staff to get some silverware at the start of the season, which has put us in good stepping stones for the season.

“Hopefully we can just keep adding to it this season, which is our aim. Our focus now is on Fulham. Hopefully we can start off with a flyer.”

Alisson Becker and Naby Keita are expected to return from injury and illness respectively in time for the clash, while Ibrahima Konaté, Curtis Jones, Kostas Tsimikas, Jota, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Calvin Ramsay will all continue to be monitored in their own recoveries from various knocks.

Finally, assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders has revealed the moment he knew he was developing a special, professional bond with Klopp.

Writing in his new book ‘Intensity’, Lijnders details how a letter to Klopp – and the boss’s reaction to it – helped to shape what has become a remarkably successful working relationship.

“I was reminded of the first time I felt that Jürgen really respected me. It was when he came with a letter to my desk, about six years ago – probably two months after he’d arrived,” Lijnders writes.

“He asked me to read it because he didn’t understand it, so I started reading and I told him it was from a coach who said he wanted to work with him, to help him on the pitch and assist. “So basically he wants your job?” the boss said. “Basically, yes.” He took the letter, tore it apart, threw it in the bin in front of me and turned around and walked away without saying anything.

“Of course, he understood the letter. He didn’t need to do that. But that was the moment I knew we would work together for a long time and I would help him with all I’ve got to become the most successful manager he could be at Liverpool Football Club. I think you can see online, I did an interview just after this, explaining Jürgen’s philosophy through my own eyes at the club. I had this idea before this moment, but it was a feeling he created that hasn’t gone away even to this day: trust.”

Find out more about ‘Intensity’, which is released on August 4th, here.