Jota's nightmare spell at Al-Ittihad is set to come to an end, at least on a temporary basis for the time being. The Portuguese winger is set to leave the club on loan, a year after a £25 million move from Celtic. He has barely featured since then and has constantly been linked with an exit. The Hoops were rumoured to hold an interest in a reunion this summer but unfortunately, it looks like that is not on the cards.
Jota will be returning to European football after all. But he won't be heading back to Scotland. Instead, his next destination is set to be France.
As tweeted by Fabrizio Romano, Rennes have agreed deal to sign Jota on loan from Al Ittihad. Formal steps to follow
While a move for Jota seems to be off the table, Celtic are still looking to improve in the final third of the pitch with Matt O'Riley leaving the club for Brighton & Hove Albion. It looks like Mateusz Bogusz of Los Angeles FC and Arne Engels of FC Augsburg are two players the Hoops are trying to sign before the summer transfer window closes.
Jota was exceptional during his two-year spell at Celtic, playing under the management of Ange Postecoglou. Other than that, things have not really worked out for him at the senior level.
He failed to make it at Benfica and his loan spell at Real Valladolid was not much to write home about either. Of course, we all know how things have turned out at Al-Ittihad.
Let's just hope that Jota has a good spell at Rennes and is able to get his career back on track. Celtic fans know what the Portuguese winger is capable of on his day. Hopefully, he can rediscover his best form in France.
Jota's Move to France
Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that former Celtic star Jota is set to sign for French side Rennes. The Italian journalist has been a source of annoyance to Celtic supporters for quite a while, often only updating on high-profile outgoings. Now, he has further upset Celtic fans by confirming that Jota is set to join the Ligue 1 side on loan from Al Ittihad.
Taking to Twitter/X, Romano confirmed that the Portuguese winger would join Rennes on a loan deal with formal steps to follow.
Brendan has spoken about wanting quality in the transfer window and Jota would have certainly satisfied this criteria. The wages that the player is on in Saudi always made a deal unlikely unless he was available on a free this summer. You would assume that the player would love to make a move back to Celtic given his success in his time in Glasgow. During two years with the club under Ange, Jota 83 appearances for Celtic as they won five trophies. In those games, he scored 28 goals and assisted on 26 occasions, which resulted in links to a number of clubs.
Hopefully Jota gets back playing and enjoying his football after a year in the footballing wilderness. Celtic, meanwhile, are targeting deals for Arne Engels, Mateusz Bogusz and Auston Trusty with bids having been lodged on Tuesday. The club are keen to get a number of players into the club in the next few days.
Jota's Time at Al-Ittihad
Jota's move to Al-Ittihad was a big one, but it didn't work out as planned. The former Celtic winger was unable to make an impact, despite the fact that he was playing alongside some of the biggest names in the world, including Karim Benzema and Ngolo Kanté.
Jota's time in Saudi Arabia was a frustrating one for him. He was unable to get into the team regularly, and he was even removed from the list of foreign players qualified to play in the Saudi Pro League. This was a major blow for Jota, and it ultimately led to his decision to leave the club.
What's Next for Jota
Jota's move to Rennes is a chance for him to get his career back on track. He has the potential to be a great player, and he has already proven that he can succeed at the highest level. Celtic fans will be hoping that he can rediscover his best form in France.
Hopefully, Jota's time at Rennes will be more successful than his time at Al-Ittihad. He is a talented player who deserves a chance to shine, and Rennes could be the perfect place for him to do just that.
