Jeff Shi has paid a heartfelt tribute to Diogo Jota after the footballer was killed in a automotive crash in Spain in a single day which additionally claimed the lifetime of his brother Andre Silva.
Lots of their teammates have posted heartfelt messages on-line, together with Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister and Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo, and a memorial shrine has already been seen exterior Anfield in honour of the 28-year-old.
Jota spent three years at Wolves earlier than his switch to Merseyside in 2020, and his enduring legacy at Molineux has been captured in a eulogy from Jeff Shi.
Jeff Shi pays tribute to Diogo Jota
The membership’s chairman stated (by way of wolves.co.uk): “Diogo was a high participant and, for me, one of many high three gamers in the entire 10 years that Fosun and I’ve been right here.
“He was additionally a pleasant boy who was very heat, very good and at all times understanding, however he was additionally demanding. As a high participant, you generally need to demand your teammates to do effectively, and though he was by no means a participant on the pitch to shout, you can at all times see what he wished from you.
“He was a really constructive and optimistic man and he might even give the chairman confidence, however he was a man with very clear concepts. He was sensible, clever and likewise very decisive in his actions. I really feel he had the potential to grow to be an excellent CEO or entrepreneur sooner or later as a result of he was very clear with what he wished to do.
“Diogo will likely be sorely missed by everybody right here at Wolves and our ideas exit to his household and mates.”
Diogo Jota performed an enormous half in a wonderful period at Wolves
Diogo Jota will eternally be synonymous with essentially the most profitable period in Wolves’ fashionable historical past, having arrived on an preliminary mortgage foundation in 2017 after they had been a Championship membership and left three years later after a memorable run to the Europa League quarter-finals.
He netted two well-known hat-tricks in that European run (towards Besiktas and Espanyol) and likewise scored an unforgettable treble within the thrilling 4-3 win over Leicester in January 2019.
Later that season, it was his purpose which secured a euphoric FA Cup victory towards Manchester United and despatched Nuno Espirito Santo’s facet to Wembley.
After 44 targets in 131 video games for Wolves, he earned a £41m switch to Liverpool, the place he went on to win the Premier League only a few months earlier than his tragic demise.
The Molineux devoted will bear in mind Jota’s starring performances on the pitch for the Outdated Gold, and Shi’s tribute illustrates that the ahead was additionally a beautiful particular person behind the scenes, one who left an indelible mark on those that acquired to know him throughout his time on the membership.
Our ideas and prayers are with the households and mates of Diogo and Andre at this extraordinarily unhappy time.
