Former Celtic winger and cult hero Jota has in no way had an easy ride in Saudi Arabia so far. The Portuguese attacker moved to the Middle East in search of a big pay-day, but things haven’t worked out the way he would have liked.
Although the financial side of things was a colossal factor in the move, Jota has rarely played football for Al-Ittihad. In five months at the club so far, he has made just 15 appearances in all competitions.
It seems as though a January exit is on the cards for the 24-year-old. Indeed, a loan move to Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq had been agreed upon in principle although according to Ben Jacobs, Jota is now exploring other options after holding further talks with his club.
It remains to be seen what went wrong for this deal to have fallen through, but many Celtic fans have been eager for the club to now make a move for their old hero. Considering the vast array of wingers available to Brendan Rodgers coupled with Nicolas Kuhn’s recent signing, however, the Hoops making a deal would be foolish.
Funds could be more wisely spent elsewhere in positions that need urgently strengthened such as left-back. A romantic move for Jota is appealing, but the sense behind it is lacking.
