Pundit cites Sadio Mane after near-£40m Liverpool deal agreed
Gabby Agbonlahor has praised Liverpool for securing Diogo Jota to a new contract.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Aston Villa and England attacker suggested they have learnt their lesson from the Sadio Mane saga.
Mane left the club for Bayern Munich this summer as he entered the final 12 months of his Anfield contract.
Liverpool announced last week (2 August) that Jota had signed a new “long-term” deal with the club.
Sources told Football Insider last week (6 August) that his new five-year contract is worth £150,000-a-week and is worth around £39million in total.
The 25-year-old only moved to the Merseyside giants two years ago and follows Mohamed Salah in committing to fresh terms this summer.
Asked what Jota’s role will be after signing a new contract, Agbonalhor told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley: “I feel he will play.
“Liverpool are in that many competitions, there will be games when Luis Diaz doesn’t play and Jota starts on the left. There will be a lot of rotation so he’ll get his game time.
“Liverpool probably don’t want players going down to one or two years anymore. Mane left when he had a year left, they don’t want that problem with Jota so it makes sense.
“You know he’s a brilliant player, keep those players with at least three years on their contract, don’t let them go under two years.”
Jota is yet to feature for Liverpool this season with a hamstring injury set to keep him out for a few more weeks.
The Portugal international has scored 34 times and provided nine assists in 85 games across all competitions for the Reds.
In other news, Liverpool could sell Naby Keita on one condition amid a journalist’s update.