It’s official. Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Jota has returned to Celtic for a second spell at the club.
Jota Joins Celtic for Second Spell
Celtic Close Deal for Former Star
Jota will be back in Scotland for a fee of around £8 million according to Sky Sports News. It is a price worth paying as his time away from Celtic showed the grass is not always greener on the other side.
In the summer of 2023, the winger wished for a move to Saudi Arabia. He signed for Al-Ittihad and received his wish but remained on the margins of the squad in the Asian Champions League thanks to the registration rules on foreign players. Only one year later, he chose to depart from the continent.
His destination was Rennes, where he suffered the same fate of misery once Jorge Sampaoli stepped into the role of manager in November and froze him out. Now, the winger knows that “there is no better match” than the one that he departed eighteen months ago, and he is back where he belongs.
The 25-year-old is glad to be back in Glasgow. Speaking on the club website, he said: “It’s very nostalgic for me because it was such an amazing feeling and all the moments that I felt through my two seasons here, and I’m just delighted to be back. I’m really excited and I just can’t wait to start.”
Jota Seeks Silverware
Things have changed since he was last in the squad. Sharp shooter Kyogo Furuhashi has moved the other way, putting pen to paper with Rennes in a much desired transfer to a top five European league. They were part of a feared frontline in the Scottish Premiership, but the relationship will not rekindle.
Read more: The Gap Between Celtic and the Rest Has Never Been So Great
However, Celtic are still in a strong position. The team are ten points clear of Rangers at the top of the table. They have also already claimed the Scottish League Cup in December, winning the final against their local rivals. Even a place in the knockout stages of the Champions League is still a possibility.
There is no doubt that Jota has his eyes on the domestic prizes at stake: “The aim is to win matches and give joy to the fans, and in the end it’s about winning titles and that’s what we are here to do.”
If he can succeed, the winger will surely endear himself to the Paradise faithful for a second time.
