John Barnes blown away by ‘great attitude’ he’s seen from one Liverpool player lately

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Liverpool legend John Barnes has shared his amazement over one player’s mentality in recent months for the Anfield side.

2024 has been a year of immense change for the Reds, with Arne Slot replacing Liverpool legend Jurgen Klopp as manager as numerous moves have been made behind the scenes that could shape how the Merseyside club run for years to come.

Whilst there has been plenty of change away from the pitch, the playing squad has largely remained the same, with Slot yet to dip into the transfer market despite losing two key players in Joel Matip and Thiago Alcantara.

Yet Barnes has showered one Liverpool star with praise for how he has acted in recent months.

Diogo Jota lauded for staying ‘fully focused’ with Liverpool

Speaking to the club’s official YouTube channel, legend Barnes hailed Diogo Jota for his immense attitude as a professional and praising the Portuguese international for being as motivated as anyone in the squad despite limited playing time.

Jota missed almost half of last season due to various injuries, yet that didn’t stop the former Wolves star from hitting an impressive 15 goals in all competitions, with the forward starting 19 games in total for the Reds.

Indeed, Jota’s effectiveness has made the 27-year-old attacker one of Liverpool’s best signings in recent years, and for Barnes, the former England international is clearly a big fan of the Anfield no. 20 and the forward’s mentality.

Barnes said when asked about Jota’s attitude on and off the pitch: “He has got a great attitude. There have been times when he hasn’t played, but he has come on and he has come on motivated, fully focused, does well if he comes on for five, ten minutes.”

Jota will want to establish himself as a regular under Slot

With Jota back to full fitness and enjoying a productive Euros with Portugal, there’s a real chance that the forward can return to Liverpool this summer and make a real push to become part of Slot’s starting XI for the first game of the new season.

At 27, Jota is reaching the prime of his career, and after such an impressive return last year given how many games the forward missed, there’s a chance that the former Wolves man could take his game to a new level under Slot.

Since joining Liverpool, Jota has made it a habit or sorts of breaking expectations, and in the upcoming campaign, the Portuguese forward will once again want to prove himself with the stakes high in the new season.