Celtic midfielder Paulo Bernardo has backed Jota to make a big impact when he returns from his long-term injury layoff. Jota has been out for more than a year due to rupturing his ACL, which is always a long layoff.
The Portuguese winger is now back in training, and he is hoping to get back to full fitness and playing by the end of October. That will be a huge boost for the Bhoys, who are struggling to function at the top end of the pitch.
The Hoops have not been helped by the early exit of Yang Hyun-jun for international break, with the winger setting off in early September for the Asian Games. Yang had been one of Celtic's best-performing players prior to setting off, so his setting off was not a welcome one.
Yang will return after the break, and within a month of that, Jota should be back to add even further strength to the left side. Celtic are really struggling in midfield, and the only way out of that until January could be to get more production from up top to protect the middle of the park.
Celtic will be counting down the days until Jota returns at this point, and speaking to The Herald, loan exile Bernardo said: "I think it was a hard time for him. I always talked to him when we were together. We were almost together every time in the club.
“I was happy for him to see him growing day by day and do different exercises. When I went to Poland, he was there. He was already training harder and harder. I was happy to see him on the pitch at that time.
“I hope he’s better right now and almost ready for coming back because I think he will be very important for Celtic this season and for the future as well.”
While Jota's return will be a welcome one, Celtic also need to get the best out of their other underperforming attackers, which now include summer signings Kasper Hogh and Camilo Duran. Sebastian Tounekti also needs to find some consistency, while Benjamin Nygren needs to take more games by the scruff of the neck, as he is capable of doing.
Martin O'Neill will surely be thinking up ways to get his attack back to their early season best after the break, with the Bhoys needing to hit the ground running.
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