Liverpool reportedly wanted to sign Lautaro Martinez before Diogo Jota arrived and the Argentine is once again on their radar.
Jota has been immense this season. He’s really come into his own at the tip of Liverpool’s attack and has helped Jurgen Klopp forget about Roberto Firmino’s injury, with nine goals and two assists to date.
The Portuguese forward provides the attacking output that Firmino doesn’t quite manage, while also making huge strides with his counter-pressing.
Klopp’s tactical system is hugely reliant on pressing high up the pitch and in key areas after the ball is lost. Jota’s pace is crucial to this. It’s why he was such a big miss last season.
Liverpool were missing all their best centre-backs but also had Jota m due to a knee injury. So their ability to rotate their attackers meant they couldn’t sustain their high pressure throughout the season.
According to Calciomercato, Liverpool had ‘thought’ of Martinez ‘a year and a half ago before Jota’ and consider the Inter Milan forward as an option to replace Firmino.
The Brazilian is on the comeback trail from an injury but, with his contract expiring in 2023, his future raises questions for Liverpool’s owners. Unlike Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, he doesn’t score as many goals and it’s difficult to argue that his pressing and off-the-ball work are worthy of a new contract.
Klopp reportedly considers Martinez to be ‘exciting, one of the best in the world’ but Calciomercato claims he is not for sale and Liverpool will have to ‘continue to admire him from afar’.
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