Diogo Jota arrived at Wolverhampton Wanderers from La Liga giants Atletico amid high expectations – and he hasn’t disappointed.
Expectations were high when Wolves completed the signing of Diogo Jota on a season-long loan from Atletico Madrid.
And the winger’s early performances in English football mean it would be no surprise if Wolves are already planning to take up their option to buy him at the end of the campaign.
Jota scored the only goal of the game as Nuno Espirito Santo’s side continued their fine start to the season with a 1-0 triumph over Millwall on Saturday but it was the nature of the strike rather than the importance that caught eye.
Picking up the ball around the centre-circle, Jota drove forwards and unleashed a fearsome long-range strike which flew into the corner of the visitor’s net. In six appearances, the 20-year-old has two goals and one assist but even those statistics mask his increasingly influential performances.
The Griezmann of the Midlands
Suddenly, comparisons with Atletico star Antoine Griezmann, Golden Boot winner at Euro 2016 and a Ballon D’Or nominee, don’t appear overly outlandish.
“I’m quick on the ball and like to attack with aggression, and one of my best qualities is the range of goals I’m capable of scoring, be it with my head, left foot, or right,” Jota told Marca after signing for Atletico from Pacos Ferreira for £6 million last year.
“I love watching (Antoine) Griezmann play, and I think we have some similarities, even in terms of physical appearance.”
Jota’s matchwinner against Millwall was certainly a goal that would have made even Griezmann proud.
It’s fair to say the Portuguese Under-23 international has a long way to go before he can match the exploits of one of Europe’s most feared striker, who capped a fine calender year by being finishing third behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi for the Ballon D’Or, an annual award given to the best player on the planet by influential magazine France Football.
But he has taken no time at all to prove to Wolves fans that the excitement surrounding his signing was more than justified.
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