Speaking on the Keys & Gray Podcast, Andy Gray has been discussing Diogo Jota and his incredible development at Liverpool.
The Portuguese forward has matured into one of the Premier League’s top attackers, but you would have been forgiven for believing he’d never make it this far.
Indeed, during his first two Premier League seasons with Wolves, he only managed to score 16 goals, but since joining Liverpool, he’s been absolutely lethal.
Gray compares his development to the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah who were late bloomers after leaving Chelsea.
What’s Gray said about Jota?
The pundit was full of praise for the attacker.
“He’s not young and he’s not a baby. It’s like, let me throw a like out there, Mourinho gets a lot of stick for letting Salah leave Chelsea or De Bruyne. What I’m saying is that those players, when they were that age, weren’t what they are now” Gray said.
“They were still learning their trade and still maturing. I think what we’ve seen form Jota is a player who has flown under the radar. Whoever identified him at Liverpool, whether it was Klopp or his scouting staff deserves a ten out of ten.
“They saw something, I thought the kid was decent, he looked busy, sharp and bright, but he never looked like a £40m footballer. He’s taken his chance with both hands.”
Improved
Is there a more improved player over the past couple of years than Diogo Jota?
He’s gone from being a handy mid-table attacker to one of the most potent strikers in the Premier League, and while Gray’s De Bruyne comparison may sound silly on the surface, it’s spot on.
Just like De Bruyne, Jota has become an absolute star overnight, and if he continues to improve, he could be a future Golden Boot winner.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
