Liverpool manager Klopp: Jota developing into world class striker | OneFootball

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says Diogo Jota is becoming a world-class striker after he reached 20 goals in a season for the first time.

Jota's first-half goal in the 2-0 win over Watford was his 14th in 27 Premier League matches this season and set up a 10th successive top-flight win after Fabinho added a late penalty.

Since he came in he improved a lot, that is a little to do with his age, (but) he is growing into the top world-class striker role step by step," said Klopp.

“He is delivering for Portugal pretty consistently, which is a difficult job to do with all the offensive talent they have, so he is actually the player we thought he would be and also a little bit better."

Before arriving at Anfield, Jota was viewed as a hard-working wide forward with some individual talent at Wolves but Liverpool's recruitment team looked beyond that to the player they could mould him into.

And that has evidenced this season in particular as, having never scored more than nine Premier League goals in a single campaign, he is currently only six behind team-mate Salah in the race for the Golden Boot.

“It was always clear that Diogo is not a pure winger, Diogo is a striker who can play on the wing and defend the wing. Both wings, thank god," added Klopp.

“He played for us all three positions up front and did always really well.

“Where we struggle sometimes is being too static. This (the first goal) was a very fluent situation where Diogo was high up, a great cross and then if there is nobody there it is just a cross with no outcome.

“(But it was) a great goal. Absolutely. He is that guy. It was, for sure, always in him.

“I said it a couple of times: at Wolves he had a different job and he did that job that good that we thought, we want him."