THE CONTRACT THAT NEVER WAS: Diogo Jota’s Unsigned £29 Million Deal and Packed Boots
The tragic deaths of Liverpool FC star Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva in a car crash on Spain’s A-52 highway on July 3, 2025, have left the football world grappling with grief and a series of perplexing mysteries. From a taxi receipt found under Jota’s dashboard, a £777.77 transfer to a non-existent “LAST DITCH” account, a sealed envelope entrusted to a Porto priest, and a missing 10th video message with instructions to “never open” it, each revelation has deepened the enigma surrounding Jota’s final days. Now, a new bombshell has emerged: just 48 hours before the crash, Jota was reportedly offered a £29 million deal by a foreign club, which he never signed, yet his boots were already packed, hinting at a potential move that never materialized. This latest twist raises questions about Jota’s intentions and the circumstances leading to his untimely death.
The Crash: A Recap of the Tragedy
On July 3, 2025, at approximately 12:30 a.m., Diogo Jota, a 28-year-old Portuguese forward, and his 25-year-old brother André Silva, a midfielder for FC Penafiel, perished when their Lamborghini Huracan suffered a tire blowout on the A-52 near Cernadilla, Zamora. The car, overtaking another vehicle, veered off the road, rolled, and burst into flames. Spanish authorities cited excessive speed as a possible factor, but Portuguese lorry drivers who witnessed the crash disputed this, blaming the A-52’s notorious conditions—potholes, poor visibility, and a history of 19 accidents with 1.5 fatalities per incident in 2023. Jota, advised against flying due to recent lung surgery, was en route to Santander for a ferry to the UK for Liverpool’s pre-season training.
Jota’s death, just 11 days after his wedding to Rute Cardoso, prompted an outpouring of grief from teammates, rivals, and fans. Liverpool retired his number 20 shirt and paid out the remaining two years of his contract, estimated at $20 million, to his family. With 65 goals in 182 appearances and a Premier League title in 2024–25, Jota’s legacy is profound, but the string of anomalies surrounding his death continues to fuel speculation.
The Unsigned £29 Million Deal
According to sources close to Jota’s management, 48 hours before the crash—on July 1, 2025—a foreign club, rumored to be in Saudi Arabia or a top European league, offered Jota a £29 million deal. The offer, which included a lucrative transfer fee and a multi-year contract, was reportedly brokered through Jota’s agent, Jorge Mendes, known for his connections with elite clubs. The deal would have seen Jota leave Liverpool, where he was earning £140,000 per week ($7.2 million annually) on a contract running until 2027. While the exact club remains unconfirmed, earlier reports from March 2025 indicated interest from Saudi clubs, Aston Villa, Newcastle United, and even Jota’s former club, Wolverhampton Wanderers, who were considering a £50 million move to bring him back.
Strikingly, Jota never signed the deal, but his boots were found packed in a bag in the Lamborghini’s trunk, alongside other personal items, suggesting he may have been contemplating the move. The packed boots—customized Nike models bearing his “Diogo J” branding—have sparked speculation that Jota was preparing for a new chapter, possibly a training stint or trial with the unnamed club. The timing, just two days before the crash, raises questions about whether the offer influenced his actions or state of mind.
A Web of Mysteries
The unsigned contract joins a growing list of enigmas surrounding Jota’s death:
Taxi Receipt: A receipt under the dashboard detailed a taxi trip at the exact time Jota was driving, with the driver’s name listed as “Diogo J.,” puzzling investigators.
£777.77 Transfer: On the morning of the crash, Jota transferred £777.77 to a “LAST DITCH” account that banking authorities say does not exist, hinting at a possible symbolic or erroneous transaction.
Sealed Envelope: Father António Mendes of São Martinho Church in Gondomar claims Jota gave him a sealed envelope on July 1, to be delivered to Cardoso only if “the clock stops at 7:14,” a cryptic condition yet to be clarified.
Missing 10th Video: Jota recorded nine unreleased video messages for Liverpool fans, but a 10th video is missing, with Cardoso revealing Jota’s instruction to “never open” it.
The packed boots and unsigned deal add fuel to theories about Jota’s plans. Was he considering a transfer, or were the boots packed for another reason, such as a charity event or a visit to his football academy in Gondomar? The £29 million offer, while substantial, was less than the £50 million Liverpool reportedly demanded earlier in 2025, suggesting Jota may have been hesitant to accept a lower valuation.
Jota’s Career and Context
Jota’s journey from Gondomar to Liverpool was remarkable. Starting at Paços de Ferreira, he moved to Atlético Madrid in 2016, followed by loans to FC Porto and Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he scored 44 goals in 131 appearances. His £41 million transfer to Liverpool in 2020 (potentially rising to £45 million) proved a masterstroke, with Jota becoming a key part of Jürgen Klopp’s and Arne Slot’s squads. His net worth, estimated at $18 million, included earnings from his Liverpool contract, endorsements with Nike and EA Sports, and esports ventures like his Luna Galaxy team.
Jota’s injury history, including a rib injury in the 2024–25 season, had raised questions about his reliability, and reports from March 2025 suggested Liverpool were open to selling him for £50 million to fund a move for Bayern Munich’s Kingsley Coman. Wolves chairman Jeff Shi expressed regret over selling Jota, calling it a “costly error” given his success at Liverpool. The unsigned £29 million deal may reflect Jota’s uncertainty about his future, especially after his recent surgery and Liverpool’s title win.
Theories and Speculation
The packed boots and unsigned contract have sparked numerous theories:
Impending Transfer: Jota may have been preparing to join the foreign club, with the packed boots indicating a planned trip for negotiations or a trial. His hesitation to sign could reflect loyalty to Liverpool or dissatisfaction with the offer.
Personal Errand: The boots might have been packed for a non-transfer-related purpose, such as a visit to his academy or a promotional event, given his involvement in charity and esports.
Connection to Other Clues: The timing of the offer (July 1) aligns with the priest’s envelope, suggesting Jota was making significant decisions in his final days. The “LAST DITCH” transfer and “never open” video could indicate a broader plan or emotional turmoil.
Symbolic Gesture: The packed boots, like the £777.77 transfer or 7:14 envelope, might carry symbolic weight, perhaps tied to Jota’s spiritual or personal reflections post-surgery.
Online discussions on platforms like Reddit and X have linked the deal to the other mysteries, with some fans speculating that Jota was planning a surprise exit from Liverpool, possibly to secure his family’s financial future. Others argue the boots were incidental, packed for the ferry trip to the UK.
Ongoing Investigation and Legacy
Spanish authorities continue to investigate the crash, analyzing tire marks, vehicle data, and the taxi receipt. The £777.77 transfer and sealed envelope remain under scrutiny, with no trace of the “LAST DITCH” account or clarification of the “7:14” condition. Efforts to locate the missing 10th video continue, with investigators examining Jota’s devices. The £29 million deal, confirmed by sources close to Jorge Mendes, adds a new dimension, with questions about whether Jota’s packed boots indicate a decision that was never finalized.
Jota’s legacy endures through his contributions to Liverpool’s 2024–25 Premier League title, his 49 caps for Portugal, and his community work in Gondomar. The packed boots, like the other clues, symbolize unfinished business—a deal that never was, a video never opened, and a life cut short. As Liverpool and fans worldwide honor Jota, the mysteries surrounding his final 48 hours continue to haunt, leaving Rute Cardoso and their three children to navigate a legacy marked by both triumph and enigma.
