'Thiago is unpredictable and Jota is on the same level as Liverpool's front three'
Liverpool assistant coach Pepijn Lijnders used a rare press conference appearance to wax lyrical about the club’s latest signings, Thiago Alcantara and Diogo Jota.
Having only brought in Kostas Tsimikas from Olympiacos during a quiet start to the summer, the Premier League champions confirmed two signings in just 48 hours last weekend.
Thiago was the first of those, the Spain international arriving from Bayern Munich in a cut-price deal made possible by his delicate contract situation.
Asked about the midfielder’s qualities, Lijnders said: “Good teams need good players. We’re really happy he is with us. This team, especially, deserves a player like him.
“He will make sure that we keep evolving. Teams adapt, teams try to destroy our plans, and it’s most important that we stay unpredictable.
“Unpredictability means that from each position, we can play the last pass and speed up the game as much as we can.
“Thiago does that for us. He’s a great signing. We didn’t buy a problem, we bought a solution!”
Lijnders also had nothing but good things to say about Jota, who he first became aware of during his time as a coach at FC Porto a number of years ago.
Of the 23-year-old, who signed in a £45m transfer from Wolves, he said: “What can I say? His technical level is on the same as our front three.
“He has so much future in the game and he will have a great pathway inside our club. He’s like a pressing monster, so he will fit in straight away!
“I knew him from when he was very young, because he’s from the city of Porto. We played against each other when he was very young, then he came through at Pacos de Ferreira.
“In Portugal, they all say what a great signing Liverpool made, because they know exactly how he is and what kind of potential he still has.
“We are happy with him, and all the things we heard are true. He is very professional, passionate, dedicated, brave player."
