Liverpool pays out Diogo Jota’s contract to widow and family, Slot confirms 'not normal' gesture

Liverpool will pay out the remainder of late forward Diogo Jota's contract to his widow and family, the club confirmed on Thursday, in what head coach Arne Slot described as a 'not normal' gesture. Jota died in July at the age of 28 in a car accident in northern Spain, an event that prompted a wave of mourning across Anfield and the city. He had married his childhood sweetheart, Rute Cardoso, just 11 days before his death, and the couple shared three young children.

The contract in question was valued at roughly £14 million, with Jota understood to be earning around £140,000 per week and having two years remaining on his deal. The decision to settle the remainder of the contract with his family was confirmed by Slot, who spoke candidly about the summer’s toll on the club and the sense of responsibility that accompanied the gesture. "Unfortunately we had to bring one player more in than we were... than what was the plan," the Dutch manager told TNT Sports. "That's why our spending was higher than intended."

Slot, whose managerial tenure at Anfield began with a goal from the Portuguese forward, emphasized that the decision reflected more than financial considerations. He said the grief of the city, and the way fans and players responded in the wake of Jota’s death, were reminders of the club’s unique culture. "The grief of the city, that is what makes it for me so special to work at this club. To work at a club where there is success and there is a parade, of course this parade is bigger than any parade everywhere around the world. But the way they conducted, the fans themselves, after that tragedy. How many flowers there were, all the memorials, I can almost get emotional thinking about it. It's unbelievable what our fans have done. And our players as well, the way they have conducted themselves in and around the funeral. And then we have to train again. And there are moments where I feel, 'What must his wife and his children feel now?' Because it sounds so hard... our life continues. People expect from me that I prepared them forever. And that sometimes feels a bit difficult, knowing how hard it is for the family and for the parents. The phase they are still going through and will go through for the rest of their lives."

Slot also took aim at the routine scrutiny that owners and managers face, insisting the decision to honor Jota’s contract through his family underscored the club’s character. "I said how proud I felt about how the fans reacted but ownership... Owners are mainly criticised, like managers, but the way they've handled this situation, by paying his wife and his children all the money from the contract [is commendable]. Maybe people think it's normal, but it is not in football." The club also acknowledged the ongoing process of healing as it navigates life without Jota, who was widely regarded as a core contributor during his time at Anfield.

The tragedy reverberated beyond Liverpool’s walls. Jota’s passing occurred after he and his brother Andre Silva were killed while traveling through northern Spain in July. The forward’s death came just weeks after he had wed Cardoso, a moment that his teammates and supporters marked with a wave of tributes. Liverpool’s No. 20 jersey, long associated with Jota, was retired across all club teams this summer, a symbolic gesture that reflected the impact he left on the club and its supporters.

Fans have kept his memory alive in every home game this season, singing his song at the 20th minute in tribute to his shirt number. In Paris, where Jota and Silva were remembered at the Ballon d’Or ceremony, teammates Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker were visibly moved by the emotional tributes. His widow, Rute Cardoso, attended memorial events in a white gown that year, underscoring the personal cost of the tragedy for the family.

The decision to honor Jota’s contract comes as Liverpool continues to navigate its responsibilities to players and families in the wake of his death. Slot’s reflections on the week’s events highlighted a broader sense of community that underpins the club’s approach to football and life off the pitch. While the league calendar and competition schedule press on, the club has remained steadfast in acknowledging the human side of the sport and supporting those affected by the loss.

As Liverpool moves forward, the details of Jota’s legacy are likely to be revisited in interviews and commemorations. For now, the club’s leadership has framed the gesture as a meaningful tribute to a player who joined the club with a debut that set a tone for his time in England. The public display of solidarity—from fans lining streets to pay respects, to owners quietly shaping the club’s response—reflects a moment when sport intersects with communal mourning and the responsibilities clubs bear toward those who contribute to their success.