It looks like we’re getting very close to the departure of Celtic winger Jota. The talented Portuguese player is closing in on a bumper transfer to Al-Ittihad.

A picture has emerged online of what looks to be Jota in Dubai with Al-Ittihad football team’s general supervisor, Ahmed Kaaki, however, the image is unconfirmed at this point.  Jota did not report for the first day of pre-season training at Lennoxtown, which would make sense if he was elsewhere closing out a deal.

Al-Ittihad appears set to sign Jota for a record-breaking £25 million+, a fee that will mark Celtic’s highest ever received for a player. Jota has reportedly agreed personal terms with Al-Ittihad, and all that remains is to finalise the deal between the two clubs.

The 24-year-old winger has reportedly agreed to a lucrative deal worth £10 million a year, tax-free, at Al-Ittihad. [SkySports] This agreement equates to a weekly wage of approximately £192,000. While this transfer will result in a significant profit for Celtic, a portion of that profit will go to Benfica due to a sell-on clause.

However, should Celtic decline a £25 million fee for Jota, the player could still see a wage increase due to a contract clause at Parkhead. This clause stipulates that his wage would increase to between £35k to £45k should a £25 million fee be rejected. [RecordSport]

The future appears bright for Jota, as he is set to line up alongside world-class players such as Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante, who have also made big-money moves to Saudi this summer.

Although the Hoops’ supporters may be saddened by Jota’s departure, the move serves as a testament to Celtic’s ability to attract and develop the talent of the highest calibre.

Celtic can take the cash from the deal and reinvest it into Brendan Rodgers’ vision.