Can Diogo Jota Rise to the Challenge in the Premier League?

Posted on | July 31, 2018 | No Comments

Diogo Jota was one of the key players in Wolverhampton Wanderers’ impressive Championship promotion campaign last time out, and now the Portuguese youngster will have his sights set on lighting up the Premier League. The former Atletico Madrid man will be crucial in the years to come for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, and if he can get off to a flying start in the top flight there is no telling how far this team can go.

The progress made at Wolves in the last year is astounding, and the Midlands club have completed some impressive player swoops thanks to their links with super-agent Jorge Mendes. Nuno’s side are a club on the rise, and this is highlighted by the fact that the newly promoted Championship winners aren’t even considered among the favourites for relegation in the season ahead. In fact, at the time of writing, with all football odds they can be backed at 9/1 to finish in the top six.

Wolves are expected to do well upon their return to the top flight due to the fact that they have some young stars in their ranks, such as Ruben Neves and Jota. Jota was the club’s top scorer last season, with 17 goals and 5 assists during his loan spell at the Molineux Stadium. Wolves were quick to make the deal permanent this summer, and it could turn out to be an incredible bit of business.

Jota began his senior career at Pacos Ferreira, where he scored 14 goals in 41 league appearances. This attracted the interest of La Liga giants Atletico, but the youngster was immediately loaned out to Porto upon his arrival at the Estadio Vicente Calderon. It was during his time with the Portuguese heavyweights that Jota began to make a name for himself as a potential future star.

At only 21 years old, Wolves have acquired Jota at the perfect time and can mould him into a dangerous weapon in the English top flight. The newly promoted side spent around £12 million on the winger, but this could turn out to be a bargain in today’s market. In fact, if he continues on this trajectory the Portuguese U23 international could be worth triple that in a couple of years.
While Jota was one of the standout names in the lower tier last season, it isn’t always easy for players to make the step up to the top flight. Players like Dwight Gayle and Matt Ritchie have been dominant forces in the Championship in the past, but have never quite had the same effect in the Premier League. However, some do succeed. Charlie Adam and Rickie Lambert are two examples of players who managed to bring their second-tier form into the top division.

Wolves have a fairly tough start to their return to the Premier League and will face Everton, Leicester City, and Manchester City in their first three fixtures. In these games, Wolves may be forced to sit back and defend, but Jota could be deadly on the break. If the Portuguese can play his football against these teams, he could easily start his journey towards becoming a top-flight star.

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