Celtic star Jota remains well on course to return from injury next month following a lengthy spell on the sidelines. The Portuguese fan favourite has been out since April of 2025, when he ruptured his ACL in a clash with Dundee United.
The Bhoys' club-record signing has not played since, undergoing extensive rehab, much of which has taken place near his home in Lisbon, but he recently returned to Glasgow and started light training as he looks to progressively build his workload.
According to SunSport, his next milestone will be a behind-closed-doors friendly that Celtic are hoping to organise during this international break, both for Jota to get some minutes and for the non- international Hoops stars to stay fresh during this extended three-week break.
Should Jota come through that game, he will be on course to return to full fitness and likely get clearance to play competitive football by the end of October, as planned.
“Jota might be ready more quickly than I thought. He’s coming along very well," Martin O'Neill said earlier this month.
“It’s been a long time, but he’s been doing really well in small-sided matches he’s been involved in. Jota’s not been stretched too much yet but that will come for him over this month.”
Jota's return has been a lengthy one, but every ACL injury is different, and some can involve much less damage to the surrounding areas than others. And the recent trend with ACL injuries has been to slow down the return of players compared to a few years ago, in the hope that they can make a stronger return with fewer setbacks down the line.
Jota could be a vital player for Celtic going forward, given the lack of production they have had from the wings over the last couple of weeks, especially on the left in the absence of Yang Hyun-jun, although the South Korean will be returning after the international break
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