Also from Gondomar, more than 40 Chinese players are now bleak why Jota is so popular

News on January 21, Gundomar, a familiar and unfamiliar name for Chinese fans.

A large number of Chinese players, including Lin Liangming, Yang Liyu, Yao Daogang, Yeljeti and Shan Huanhuan, have trained in Gundomar, the fourth-tier club youth team in Portugal.

And the player who came out of Guendomar was another player named Diogo Jota.

There are three age groups in Portugal: 95/97/99. More than 40 Chinese players have trained in Portuguese clubs such as Gondomar and Ferreira, but so far, none of them have really played like Jota.

Jota was born in Salgarus in 1996, but joined the Gondomar Academy at the age of 13. Jota then joined Ferreira U19 from Gondomar U19, and Yeljeti and Tang Shi also trained at Ferreira Club.

Jota then signed for Atletico and was loaned to Porto and Wolves until Wolves bought out £12.6 million in 2018. In the summer of 2020, Jota joined Liverpool for £40 million.

After a season and a half, Jota's current value has grown to £54 million, and if there is a big club to buy, the transfer fee will not be less than £60 million.

This is a high-level operation of a super giant like Liverpool. Scouts all over Europe look for cost-effective players, enter the team, quickly integrate into the tactical system, help the team, and most importantly, increase its value, and subsequent sales may earn back the original transfer fee plus the salary sent out.

Jota has scored 14 goals and two assists in all competitions this season, including 10 in the Premier League, and is second in the top scorers list, behind teammate Salah (16 goals).

When Firmino was injured, Jota played in the center position. Sometimes he will rotate to the left winger position, because of his excellent performance, the original Liverpool super substitute Takumi Minamino was pressed to death on the bench.

Don't look at Jota, who is only 1.78 meters tall, but his header technique is also very good. Liverpool's tactics are characterized by a large number of crosses from Robertson and Alexander-Arnold, with Jota scoring six of his 14 goals this season.

In the second leg of last night's League Cup semi-finals, Jota scored one goal each in the first and second halves, two goals as Klopp praised after the game, "Jota has grown into a world-class striker in Liverpool".

In the 19th minute, Liverpool counter-attacked, Alexander-Arnold moved to the middle of the road to cross obliquely to the left, Jota took the ball from the left side, and the inner cut swung past Japanese full-back Kenyo Fuan and broke the goal at the top of the arc of the penalty area. The goal was very cunning, Ben White, Gabriel and Tierney came to block it, Jota shot the ball out of the gap, goalkeeper Ramsdale moved incorrectly, and the second reaction came back to save it. The ball was not fast, but Jota alone beat five people in the Arsenal defence.

In the 77th minute, Arnold played a long pass behind the Arsenal defence in the middle of the line, Jota started from an offside position, unloaded the ball on his chest, faced the attacking goalkeeper Ramsdale, deftly picked it up, and the ball flew into the empty goal. This kind of single knife ball technique, I hope Wu Lei can learn it well.

Jota's success at Liverpool was aided by the attacking system Klopp had built. This mature tactical system helped Jota grow at Anfield.

Liverpool's attack started with a centre-back from a centre-forward pressing the opposing centre-back, and the best in this regard was Firmino, while Jota also learned a lot, and his pressing maneuverability was stronger.

When Liverpool get the ball, the right side is basically Salah, Arnold, Henderson form a triangle, And Arnold's cross will often find Jota at the back point.

On the left, it is the world of Jota, Robertson and Jones, and sometimes the rotation lineup Zimikas and Milner form a tacit understanding with Jota. Robertson's cross will find salah at the back post. And when Robertson took a short pass from the ground, Jota's cut was very sharp.

When Mane and Salah went to play the Africa Cup of Nations, Jota carried Liverpool's offensive banner, which somewhat eased Liverpool's goal pressure.

In contrast, none of the stars that Manchester United has bought in the past 6 years can improve their level and increase their value like Jota. The £89 million Pogba is going to be given away for free, including Martial, who earns £240,000 a week, and a group of bought stars can't sell at a high price.

After the more expensive Havertz and Werner came to Chelsea, they did not play at their due level and value.

As for the £100 million Mr. Glallish, it doesn't really help City's system much.

In the big team, in terms of growth, the only one who can be compared with Jota is the opponent Arsenal's left winger Saka, who was defeated last night.

Klopp said: "Jota has been important to us since he joined Liverpool and now he has grown into a world-class striker".