John Barnes suggests Liverpool’s new boy is already an upgrade on £10m man

Follow us on Google Discover

John Barnes has suggested to TalkSport (21/09/20 at 8:40 am) that new signing Jota is already an upgrade on Divock Origi.

The former winger believes Jota can help Liverpool maintain the way they play if one of the forward players were to be injured for a long period of time, but he ‘doesn’t think’ someone like Origi has those capabilities.

Whilst Origi is an out-and-out striker, he has also been used out on the left-hand side by Jurgen Klopp.

But the arrival of Jota has added more quality out on the left, including through the middle, as Barnes thinks he’s a ‘very good signing’.

“We have been fortunate in that whilst we didn’t have a big squad our main players stayed fit,” Barnes told TalkSport.

“I don’t think a couple of our main players, especially if a couple of our forwards got injured for a long period of time, I don’t think we would have maintained the way we play by bringing Origi in that position for three months or Shaqiri.

“But with Jota coming in, similar with Thiago, if he has to play for three or four months it isn’t going to be a problem. So, he’s made very good signings.”

It’s difficult trying to break into Liverpool’s current front three given what they have produced in recent seasons.

But someone like Origi, who was purchased by the club for £10 million from Lille in 2014 [BBC Sport], has struggled to become a regular.

However, that doesn’t discount what Origi has done for the Merseyside club because he has scored some memorable goals for them, including in the Champions League final and that late winner against Everton.