An update has emerged on Jota's future at Celtic amid speculation over a potential move away from the club in the summer transfer window…
What's the latest on Jota's exit from Celtic?
Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the Portuguese attacker is set to finalise his transfer to Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad in a deal worth roughly £25.8m to the Hoops.
The reporter Tweeted: "Understand Al Ittihad coach Nuno has already spoken to Jota about his transfer considered imminent and set to be completed next week. Fee gonna be around €30m, discussions ongoing."
The former Benfica attacker is set to become the third significant exit from Paradise ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, following on from Aaron Mooy's retirement and Ange Postecoglou's switch to Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.
Who could replace Jota at Celtic?
Brendan Rodgers could forget all about the 24-year-old wizard by securing a deal to bring Mohamed Elyounoussi back to the club for a second spell.
The Norway international, who is a free agent after leaving Southampton, was recently quizzed about a possible move back to Parhead and teased: "We'll see. I enjoyed my time there. I didn't get much time to play with the fans, it was mostly without fans. I enjoyed my time there and you never know."
Celtic's head coach must take advantage of his availability to snap up a bargain deal to replace Jota, as the ex-Saints winger already knows what it takes to perform in Scotland and has proven himself to be an excellent option at this level.
He also has a pre-existing relationship with Rodgers' assistant John Kennedy, who he worked with during his spell on loan with the Hoops between 2019 and 2021. The coach previously hailed the Norwegian magician during their time together, saying:
“Moi’s character and his levels, in terms of training, he’s first class in everything he does. He’s one of the best professionals I’ve worked with."
Elyounoussi enjoyed a terrific 2020/21 campaign with Celtic as he plundered ten goals and four assists in 21 Scottish Premiership starts, which worked out as a goal contribution every 1.5 starts on average as part of a team that scored 78 league goals.
Jota, on the other hand, scored 11 goals – a tally only Kyogo Furuhashi (27) bettered – and assisted 11 in 26 league starts, an involvement every 1.18 starts on average, as the left winger in Postecoglou's 114-goal side.
The former Southampton forward, who is valued at €4.8m (£4m) by Football Transfers, could flourish in a superior Celtic squad after showcasing his attacking quality on the left flank in Neil Lennon's team, despite their failure to win the title that term.
Therefore, Elyounoussi could be the dream Jota replacement for Rodgers due to his proven Premiership quality as a winger who can make a big impact in the final third and his availability on a free transfer.