Do We Sell Diogo Jota? Liverpool’s Summer Dilemma No One Wants to Face
Injury setbacks and Newcastle interest have brought Diogo Jota’s future into sharp focus.
Diogo Jota and the Question That Will Not Go Away
Whispers linking Diogo Jota to Newcastle United simply refuse to die down. It is no surprise, either. Newcastle are rebuilding again, keen to sharpen their edge in the final third, and circling around a proven Premier League poacher like Jota makes a great deal of sense for a club with European ambition.
From our end, though, it is a far murkier picture.
Jota is a clever, clinical, cold-blooded finisher who presses with intent and pops up in the box when it matters most. He is the player who scores goals in bursts, brings calm to chaos, and has repeatedly bailed Liverpool out of sticky moments. The kind of player you do not truly miss until he is no longer there.
But he is also the player who has missed 48 games through injury across the last two seasons. That statistic alone forces a hard look. As Liverpool prepare for a fresh era under Arne Slot, and with at least one new forward expected to arrive this summer, the question is obvious.
Is now the right time to sell Diogo Jota?
What Jota Gives Liverpool That Stats Cannot Measure
It is easy to look at numbers. 15 goals in all competitions last season. A run of five goals in four games during January. One Player of the Month award. But what Diogo Jota brings is far more than just goals.
He is the game-changer off the bench, the unexpected starter who scores two in a scrappy 3-2 away win, the forward who presses with brain as much as brawn. He never sulks, never hides, and always plays with purpose. When Liverpool were struggling for rhythm, Jota found ways to score from almost nothing.
There is something chaotic about him in the best possible way. A header from nowhere. A ricochet that falls kindly. A toe-poke in the six-yard box. No one does scruffy goals with such sharp timing. And in a team like ours, that has always had a soft spot for instinctive finishers, Jota fits like a glove.
The Elephant in the Room: Injuries and Availability
Still, we cannot ignore the injuries. Over the last 24 months, Jota has suffered multiple muscle strains, a rib issue, knee problems, and a nasty foot injury. The longest spell out saw him miss nearly three months of action. He has never quite strung together a full season since arriving from Wolves.
These are not just knocks. These are the kinds of setbacks that disrupt rhythm, selection, and squad cohesion. And with Arne Slot looking to build consistency and tactical fluency, reliability will be absolutely vital.
It is no secret that Liverpool are also carrying a few too many players who cannot be trusted to play 40 games a season. The sentiment around Jota is strong, but this is a summer where big decisions need to be made without sentiment clouding judgement.
Newcastle’s Interest: Genuine or Opportunistic?
Reports have surfaced suggesting Newcastle are prepared to offer between £60 million and £70 million for Jota. Whether those figures are accurate or inflated by agents doing their usual dance, it is clear they rate him highly. Eddie Howe is reportedly a long-term admirer. Newcastle’s front line lacks depth behind Isak and Gordon, and Jota fits both the profile and the Premier League experience criteria.
If Liverpool were to seriously consider such an offer, it would not be outlandish. That level of money for a 27-year-old forward, with a mixed injury record, could be very tempting.
But here is the risk. Newcastle are not some mid-table side anymore. They are direct rivals for a Champions League place. Would we really strengthen a team that could take our spot in the top four?
That question sits uneasily, no matter how good the money looks.
Slot’s System and the Role of Jota
Arne Slot is not Jurgen Klopp. He is not looking to rebuild what came before. He wants to build something that is his, something modern, fluid, and efficient. Reports have already hinted that the signing of Florian Wirtz, a player with supreme attacking vision and versatility, is just the start of a summer refresh.
In that context, Jota might feel like a luxury. A brilliant impact option, yes. A scorer of important goals, absolutely. But can he be trusted to play 30 Premier League matches, plus Champions League nights, plus deep domestic cup runs?
Slot will not want to go into the season with a squad full of question marks. And Jota, sadly, is one of them. If Liverpool are serious about reloading for another title push, there is a case for taking the money and using it to bring in two players who are younger, fitter, and more consistent in their availability.
The Bigger Picture: Value, Depth and Risk
It is not just about who leaves. It is about what comes next.
If Liverpool sell Jota and reinvest the money wisely, the logic is sound. That cash could help fund a new forward with pace and durability, or cover multiple squad improvements.
But it needs to be a clear plan. Replacing Jota with someone who scores five goals a season and struggles to adapt would be disastrous. There is no guarantee that someone like Johan Bakayoko or Crysencio Summerville can replicate Jota’s output straight away. And let’s not forget, Jota knows the league. He knows the club. He scores when it matters.
That is a lot to replace in one summer.
Should We Sell? My Honest Take
Would £60 to £70 million turn heads at Anfield? Probably.
Should we sell to a direct rival who are also chasing Champions League places? Probably not.
Should we let go of one of our most instinctive forwards without a proven replacement already secured? Definitely not.
This decision is not about sentiment. It is about balance. Depth wins titles. Reliable availability is everything. But instinct cannot be coached, and Diogo Jota has more of it than almost any forward we have had in the post-Suarez era.
If he stays fit, he is a 20-goal-a-season striker. If he does not, he is a luxury we might not be able to afford. But let us not forget what happens the moment he is sold. We will miss him. The fans will. The players will. And so might Arne Slot when he looks around the bench in a tight away game in February.
Final Thought: Be Careful What You Sell
This summer is all about evolution. Slot has already shown he can make bold decisions. But bold must never mean careless. If we do sell Diogo Jota, it needs to be on our terms, for the right fee, and only once a reliable and ready alternative is secured.
Because once he goes, there is no bringing him back. And it will be only then, watching him run off celebrating at St James’ Park in a black and white shirt, that we will truly feel what we have lost.
Let’s be careful what we sell.