Celtic were handed a major blow this summer, with Jota leaving the club in order to join Al-Ittihad. On one hand, the Hoops are believed to have received a transfer fee in the region of £25 million including add-ons, which is huge. But on the other hand, they have lost one of their most important players, who had been an integral part of their success over the past couple of seasons under the management of Ange Postecoglou.
Thus, Celtic must find a way to replace Jota in their starting XI. That is easier said than done though.
Also, many Celtic fans were left confused by the social media silence of Jota in the days following his move to Al-Ittihad. But as it turns out, the Portuguese winger appears to have taken his time to pen an emotional message to the club and its supporters.
As reported by Football Scotland, Jota said on social media:
"“I stepped into Paradise as a young lad with dreams to fulfil and a single goal, to find happiness doing what I love the most.“I was scared, I had doubts, and I didn’t know what to expect from something that in the end turned out to be one of the most beautiful stories ever.“People often ask me what is so special about Celtic and I feel like there’s no straight answer. There’s no fair answer for it. The answer lies in a deep feeling, a sense, an emotion. There’s a mystical fog flowing around Celtic Park that induces you to this sense of football edge. This football heritage gave us unforgettable moments and you can’t explain it, you need to feel it. You need to respect it.“I’m such a lucky man to have lived two years of excitement and getting to evolve as a football player and as a person.“To the players, to the staff and for all of the involved departments, a big thank you from me. You made me better.“To the fans, and I always say this, you guys found a way of loving me more than my previous girlfriends and I guarantee you that we were crazy in love. For what matters, I think I loved you more than them so believe me, I’ll love you for life.“I’ve recently learned that happiness is not found at the finishing line, it lies in the path. I am grateful for every rain drop in Glasgow, every trip to the Highlands, and wow those were long. Every bit of Glaswegian banter and so it goes on, so many stories, so many things to remember.“Celtic will always have a special place in my heart, and one day my biggest dream will be to sit down with my kids and just tell them how magical and special this place is because life is all about stories and this one was just unbelievable.“Today I become another fan, the ones that live and make the club. Forever yours.”"
Jota finally breaks silence in emotional message to Celtic fans
Celtic certainly proved to be the turning point in Jota’s career. He had been one of the most highest rated players in the world while coming through the youth ranks at Benfica but had failed to find his feet at the senior level.
He went out on loan to Real Valladolid and failed to impress in Spain as well. Thus, many had raised doubts about his ability to deliver at the top level.
The move to Celtic certainly change the course of Jota’s career at the senior level, as he established himself as a superstar in Glasgow. According to stats from Transfermarkt, he scored 28 goals and provided 26 assists in 83 appearances for the Hoops.
Not only did he produce the numbers though. He also stepped up in the big moments and wrote his name into the history books at Celtic. We can only thank him for his contributions over the past two seasons and wish him the best at Al-Ittihad.