Diogo Jota signs new long-term Liverpool contract

Diogo Jota has become the latest Liverpool forward to sign a new long-term contract at Anfield.

The Reds headed into the close-season with their superstar front three of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino entering the final 12 months of their respective deals.

Salah agreed new terms, while Mane left for Bayern Munich. Firmino has made clear his desire to stay but is yet to put pen to paper.

Now, in the week before the start of the new Premier League season, Jota has ensured he will remain a key part of this Liverpool team.

The Portugal international signed from Wolves in September 2020 and quickly established himself ahead of Firmino in the pecking order, although Mane often played through the centre last season.

This term, Jota will have further competition in the form of new signing Darwin Nunez, but the 25-year-old – who has scored 34 goals in 85 games for Liverpool – is up for the fight.

Reportedly now under contract until 2027, Jota told Liverpool’s official website: “Well, [I’m] really proud, I have to say.

He’s a lad from Portugal… pic.twitter.com/Z8o3AQvhEi

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 2, 2022

“Obviously, since I arrived two years ago, I established myself as an important player in this team – that’s what I wanted from the beginning.

“Now, signing a new long-term deal, it’s obviously from the club’s perspective proof of the belief in myself as a player. For me, obviously it’s really good to establish I’ll be here for a while.

“So, the beginning of a new season, let’s do it.”

In his time at Liverpool, only Salah (60 goals, 22 assists) and Mane (39 goals, 10 assists) have scored more goals or registered more goal involvements (41 for Jota) than the striker.

Jota has impressively averaged a goal every 157 minutes in all competitions. He ranks fourth among Liverpool players over this period in that regard, behind Nunez (31), who netted on his debut on Saturday, the departed Takumi Minamino (133) and Salah (135).