Wijnaldum, Henderson react to Jota’s ‘meant to be’ post as Liverpool exit looms
Diogo Jota grabbed the attention of past and present Liverpool stars as rumours continue to swirl over his future at Anfield ahead of the summer.
The 28-year-old was an extremely exciting prospect when he arrived on Merseyside five years ago, going on to notch 65 goals and 22 assists in close to 200 appearances for the Reds.
However, the forward has dropped out of contention over the last couple of seasons, only starting a combined total of 28 Premier League games under Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot.
Liverpool supporters are now expecting Jota to seek an exit away from Anfield, alongside the likes of Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz, Harvey Elliott, and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Dan Plumley told Liverpool News 247 that the Reds must “squeeze” Real Madrid for millions if Alexander-Arnold is to leave Merseyside before the expiration of his contract, in time for the Club World Cup.
Diogo Jota gets his hands on the Premier League title
Taking to Instagram (29 May), Jota wrote: “No.20. Meant to be,” as the Portuguese forward celebrated his first Premier League title since signing from Wolves in 2020.
Former Liverpool stars Gini Wijnaldum and Jordan Henderson both liked the post, as did Alexis Mac Allister, Fulham’s Raul Jimenez and Liverpool-mad celebrity, Calvin Harris.
Arne Slot to make key Liverpool changes ahead of 2025/26 campaign
Football Insider verdict
Slot’s first season in England was nothing short of spectacular, lifting the Premier League title in style ahead of Arsenal, but supporters were left wanting more from the Reds.
The Dutchman was working with a squad fully built by Klopp, and the current players clearly did not completely match up with the new manager’s playing style.
Fans were left disappointed following early exits in the Champions League and FA Cup, losing to PSG and Plymouth Argyle in separate competitions, but it was still a positive campaign, nonetheless.
Given how little Slot has used Jota in the starting lineup this season, it seems almost inevitable that the Portuguese forward will be walking through the exit doors in the coming weeks.
Nunez, Chiesa, Elliott, Wataru Endo, and Konstantinos Tsimikas are all linked with exits, and if the Reds are to achieve more next season, it is imperative to replace these names during the summer.