Jurgen Klopp has revealed he was adamant about signing Diogo Jota for Liverpool and admits he still cannot process the death of the popular forward. The former Reds manager is among the contributors to a new biography celebrating Jota's life.
Jota joined Liverpool from Wolves in September 2020 as a surprise signing, arriving at a squad that had just won the Premier League and boasted one of the most feared front threes in world football in Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah. The Portuguese went on to complement the trio and eventually replace Firmino and Mane in Klopp's plans, before winning a Premier League title under Arne Slot in 2025.
Klopp's gut feeling over Jota transfer
That success came just weeks before Jota's tragic death alongside his brother Andre Silva in a car crash in northern Spain. In the biography, titled Diogo Jota: Forever In Our Hearts from Reach Sport, Klopp recalls how he had to convince others at Liverpool over bringing the forward to the club.
"I was watching a Wolves match," Klopp recalls. "When Diogo drifted to the left, using his physicality, showing refined technique and tremendous power. I immediately thought: 'I want this player'. It was a gut feeling, the sort that you can usually rely on."
Klopp explained that his usual signing process involves working closely with scouts and sporting directors, but in Jota's case he took the initiative. "I asked them to put together some material about him. I told them I wanted to take a closer look at him, and that I was excited about his attributes. We needed versatile players, and Diogo could play in several positions. And he had the right attitude and mentality for a club like Liverpool."
Klopp still in shock over Jota's death
Klopp says he is still coming to terms with the death of Jota at 28, and finds it difficult to speak about the loss of the husband and father of three.
"I'm 58 years old. I know that people die, that this is part of life," he said. "Once you reach a certain age, we have to accept that these things happen. But when I heard about Diogo's accident, I was in shock and I couldn't even speak. I didn't ask how, I didn't ask where; I just stopped what I was doing and tried to come to terms with it. To this day, I must admit, I still haven't really managed to do that."
"When my assistant Danielle asked me if I was available to have this conversation – to contribute to this book – I said yes, that I wanted to talk about Diogo, to think about him. However, now that we're talking, I can see that I'm not ready for it. I've spent most of my life talking, but now I'm just hanging by a thread, lost for words – which is not at all normal. It's crazy…"
Diogo Jota: Forever In Our Hearts (Reach Sport, £22) is on sale now. Every purchase supports LFC Foundation, with all LFC profits funding a grassroots football programme established in Diogo Jota's name.
