The Liverpool manager acquired Jota's services from Wolves in September
The Reds acquisition of the 23-year-old raised plenty of eyebrows as the £35m-plus-Ki-Janna Hoever's move came somewhat out of left field.
Former Ireland international Tony Cascarino was among those surprised by Liverpool's decision to sign the forward and firmly believes the Premier League champions would've been better-served signing Zaha, who has been Crystal Palace's star performer for the last two seasons.
"Roy Hodgson had put down his challenge to Wilf," Cascarino said during an appearance on talkSPORT.
"Obviously, the transfer window came and went and he didn’t get his desired move because he wanted a move. He openly admitted it.
"When he played certain games you thought 'Wilf, you aren’t kidding anybody’. If you want to be at your very best you have to run your socks off and create problems because you are good enough.
"He's one of those players who is good enough to play for a Champions League team. Easily. But he’s got to be in the right frame of mind.
"When he plays like he did yesterday and he causes havoc and he runs at teams and he’s nearly unplayable at times.
"I do think there’s an element that teams do actually feel… Wilf was very expensive and you are thinking he’s 28 years old and you are going to spend £40m, £50m, £60m for Wilf and then he’s 28, 29.
"He relies on pace. Wilf has got a great turn of foot and he can get past defenders.
"Teams have looked at him and sometimes he's on the fringes of a game when he shouldn’t be. I’ve never questioned Wilf’s ability. He’s a tremendous footballer."