When Diogo Jota was moving from Atletico Madrid to Wolves in the summer, the switch didn’t get a great deal of attention in the Spanish club’s local media.
There were other more exciting matters on the agenda, and with Jota having spent the previous season on loan at Porto, and with him being Portuguese, he’d very much become out of sight and out of mind.
Unsurprisingly, the player doing well for Wolves has changed that, and there’s an increasing number of Spanish articles on the 20 year old. Last week we pointed out there’s Spanish disagreement on how much Wolves will have to pay the move permanent, with the claims ranging from €8m to €22m.
Sunday’s edition of AS state Atletico Madrid are ‘keeping an eye on’ Jota’s progress at Wolves, with the insinuation being it’s with regards to a possible return. Atletico are said to have six loan players whose form ‘doesn’t go unnoticed by the club’s leaders’.
Whilst that doesn’t sound too worrying, that Jota is put in with Vitolo as one of the main two, is more concerning. Vitolo was signed from Sevilla on a free transfer in the summer, and due to Atletico’s registration ban was loaned to Las Palmas until January. The 28 year old Spanish international was seen as a major signing, and a controversial one at that, with Sevilla believing they’re due a fee.
Should Atletico decide they want Jota back then it’s going to be difficult for Wolves if the dream is sold to Jota. Fernando Torres is 33 years of age, Kevin Gameiro is being edged towards the exit, and the same has been said for Luciano Vietto.
With Antoine Griezmann’s future remaining under question, Atletico may sell Jota the idea of becoming Costa’s back-up man, which considering the 29 year old former Chelsea player has brittle hamstrings, isn’t such a bad prospect.
If Wolves can make the Jota move permanent for a reasonable fee, it’s better to do so sooner rather than later.
