'It's impossible to say no to joining Liverpool', says Jota
VIDEO SHOWS: INTERVIEW WITH LIVERPOOL'S NEW SIGNING, DIOGO JOTA, FILE FOOTAGE OF JOTA, FILE FOOTAGE OF ANFIELD AND LIVERPOOL TRAINING
SHOWS:
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (SEPTEMBER 19, 2020) (LFCTV - Broadcasters: NO USE ON DIGITAL OR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, NO COMMERCIAL USE, MUST COURTESY "LFCTV", DO NOT OBSCURE LOGO. Digital: NO USE)
1. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIVERPOOL FORWARD, DIOGO JOTA, SAYING:
"By some distance it's the best, the best stadium and the best environment. I think it's really noisy. Obviously, the (INAUDIBLE) "We'll (sic: You'll) Never Walk Alone" is always on the opponent's mind."
2. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIVERPOOL FORWARD, DIOGO JOTA, SAYING:
"It won't be for now but I hope soon I can be here listening to the fans with the full anthem."
3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIVERPOOL FORWARD, DIOGO JOTA, SAYING:
"They can count on me because now I'm one of them and I will give my best."
4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIVERPOOL FORWARD, DIOGO JOTA, SAYING:
"When we look at the Premier League, you always see Liverpool as one of the biggest teams in the country. So, it's impossible to say no."
5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIVERPOOL FORWARD, DIOGO JOTA, SAYING:
"We're talking about world class players, the best in their positions. So, it's good to be part of that team now."
6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIVERPOOL FORWARD, DIOGO JOTA, SAYING:
"Juergen (Klopp) I think is a fantastic coach. I look at him when I was a kid and he was already playing Champions League finals. So, I've known him for a long time; not personally obviously but now I will and I think he's the right manager for me. At this stage of my career I think it's a good and the right step.
7. WHITE FLASH
8. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIVERPOOL FORWARD, DIOGO JOTA, SAYING:
"We as a player, we always want to grow and to develop into a better status and that's what I want. I want to grow here and I think this is the right club."
DUISBURG, GERMANY (FILE - AUGUST 11, 2020) (UEFA - NO RESALES. NO COMMERCIAL USE. MUST ON-SCREEN COURTESY "©UEFA 2020")
9. WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS FORWARD, DIOGO JOTA TRAINING AHEAD OF EUROPA LEAGUE QUARTER-FINAL AGAINST SEVILLA
10. TRAINING IN PROGRESS
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - JUNE 25, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)
11. VARIOUS OF KENNY DALGLISH STAND AT ANFIELD STADIUM
12. SHANKLY GATES
13. CREST ON SHANKLY GATES
14. LIVERPOOL FLAG
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - DECEMBER 9, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)
15. LIVERPOOL MANAGER, JUERGEN KLOPP, WALKING TO TRAINING
16. LIVERPOOL PLAYERS, ANDREW ROBERTSON AND JORDAN HENDERSON, WALKING TO TRAINING
17. LIVERPOOL SQUAD ARRIVING FOR TRAINING
18. SADIO MANE AT TRAINING
19. MANE AND MOHAMED SALAH / JAMES MILNER, ROBERTSON AND ALEX OXLADE-CHAMBERLAIN TRAINING
20. KLOPP SPEAKING TO COACHING STAFF
21. SALAH AND XHERDAN SHAQIRI PASSING BALL TO EACH OTHER
22. ROBERTO FIRMINO TRAINING
STORY: Liverpool's news signing, Diogo Jota said it was impossible to turn down the chance to join the Premier League champions.
The Portugal forward joined from Wolverhampton Wanderers on a long-term contract on Saturday (September 19) with Liverpool's versatile 18-year-old defender Ki-Jana Hoever going in the other direction on a five-year deal.
Hoever had only played four senior games for the Anfield club following his arrival from Ajax Amsterdam in 2018.
British media reported that Liverpool agreed a five-year deal worth about 41 million pounds for Jota, whose versatility and work rate should fit in well with manager Juergen Klopp's hard-pressing style of play.
The 23-year-old Jota was left out of Wolves' League Cup defeat by Stoke City on Thursday and was an unused substitute in their 2-0 league win over Sheffield United last weekend.
Initially arriving on loan from Atletico Madrid in 2017, Jota has scored 16 goals and provided six assists for Wolves in the Premier League over the last three seasons.
Jota is Liverpool's third signing of the close season following the arrivals of Spain midfielder Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich and Greece left back Kostas Tsimikas.
(Production: Tim Hart)