Liverpool have had a number of injury issues over their Premier League campaign so far, although a new update has emerged which offers a huge boost ahead of their return to top-flight action just after Christmas.
What’s the latest?
According to Portuguese news outlet O Jogo (via Sport Witness), Reds forward Diogo Jota could be back in time to face Real Madrid in their round of 16 Champions League clash in February.
As per the report, it is claimed that the 26-year-old has been doing specific reconditioning work, and following a good stint in Dubai, he could be back much sooner than expected.
Imagine him & Fernandez
The news that Jota could be back ahead of schedule will be warmly welcomed by Jurgen Klopp and FSG, who would have potentially been looking at the transfer market in order to fill the gaps in the forward line.
Liverpool have been linked with a number of wide forwards over the last few weeks owing to their unfortunate injury issues in the attacking threat of the team, with James Maddison and Cody Gakpo two players named as potential options for the Merseysiders.
It was revealed earlier this month that Luis Diaz had aggravated his knee injury whilst taking part in the tour in Dubai and required surgery to repair the damage, leaving the talented winger out of action until March.
As a result, the accelerated return of Jota could save the club millions, as Klopp could now unleash the talented Portugal forward back into his team sooner rather than later.
Jota made an instant impact when he joined the Reds in September 2020 and has scored 34 goals and registered 14 assists in 93 appearances at Anfield, with a goal contribution every 118 minutes.
The 26-year-old hitman – who was dubbed “exceptional” by his manager – could become even more prolific on the pitch if Liverpool can complete the mooted signing of Benfica star Enzo Fernandez.
The 21-year-old Argentina midfielder ranks in the top 10% of his positional peers in the top five European leagues for assists, shot-creating actions and progressive passes over the past year, proving that he is an excellent playmaker who could offer Jota many goal-scoring opportunities.
With that in mind, the accelerated return of Jota for February would be a huge boost for Liverpool ahead of the second half of the season in their pursuit to climb the Premier League table and progress in Europe.
