It was just last month that Jota left Celtic for a transfer fee believed to be around £25 million. The Portuguese winger was a key part of the team that won five trophies over the previous two campaigns and he was also someone who rose to the occasion, scoring several goals in the Glasgow Derby.
Thus, Jota leaving was a major blow for Celtic even though they pocketed a significant transfer fee. And it feels like they are yet to properly replace him, despite signing Yang Hyun-jun and Marco Tilio.
On the other hand, it looks like Jota has not made the start at Al-Ittihad that he would have been hoping for. And now, the Portuguese winger already seems set to depart the club on a temporary basis.
As reported by Sport 360 (via Daily Record):
"“The management of Al-Ittihad Club decided to loan the Portuguese Jota to Al-Shabab [FC] this summer.”"
Jota already set to leave Al-Ittihad on loan after Celtic exit
Many people were left surprised by Jota’s decision to join Al-Ittihad at 24 years of age. But at the same time, it is a life-changing move for the youngster.
A couple of years ago, there was uncertainty about his future. He had been one of the brightest talents in the world while coming through the youth ranks but had struggled with the jump to the senior level.
Jota had failed to nail down a spot in Benfica’s team and he did not impress during his loan spell at Real Valladolid either. A temporary switch to Celtic went on to change the course of his career though. He would join the Hoops on a permanent basis a year later.
Now, it looks like his career is in an interesting spot once again. He needs to find his spot at Al-Ittihad. But before that, it looks like he will spend some time out on loan at Al-Shabab first.