Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo said Diogo Jota is “going to the right place” after Liverpool agreed to sign the forward for £41m in a deal that could rise to £45m with add-ons.

Dutch defender Ki-Jana Hoever, 18, will move the other way for £9m and a possible £4.5m in add-ons.

“We did the deal because it is good for everyone,” said Nuno. “Diogo was happy here but players like new challenges.”

The Portuguese continued: “Diogo is amazing and everybody knows the relationship we built. What Diogo did for us is absolutely fantastic.

“I think Diogo is going to the right place and we wish him all the best, knowing that it will never be forgotten, especially by our fans, all the memorable moments that Diogo provided.”

On Hoever, Nuno added: “He’s a player that I think really has potential, has talent. And it’s up to us to take the best out of him.”

The move follows Liverpool’s £20m capture of Spain midfielder Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich.

The Jota deal represents a net spend of about £30m for Liverpool, and the Premier League champions have also negotiated a 15% sell-on clause in the transfer that takes Hoever to Molineux.

Jota can play across the forward line and would provide further cover – in addition to Takumi Minamino and Divock Origi – for Liverpool’s vaunted front three of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah.

The former Atletico Madrid player joined Wolves on loan in their 2017-18 Championship-winning campaign before making a £12.8m permanent switch in 2018.

Jota has made 131 appearances for the Molineux side, scoring 44 goals, including hat-tricks in last season’s Europa League victories against Besiktas and Espanyol.

He is in line to become Liverpool’s third summer signing following the arrival of Thiago and Greece left-back Kostas Tsimikas for about £11.7m.

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