Jota - Welcome Home!

Everytime it's bumped...

Get it done Celtic..

 

Don’t think he’d be talking *. Most concrete thing I’ve seen about this so far, it’s looking good.

 

This would be the best way a transfer has ever been confirmed.

 

Genuinely, that guy will know more than just about anyone.

Barbers are nosey by nature and folk manage to spill all sorts to their barber. So no danger he’s signing for me.

 

Jota has been done from before the last game of the season. It’s CCV I’m worried about not staying, hope he does of course.

 

Just look at Jota's hair, he must be at the hairdressers every single day so if anyone is going to know before Ange it will be his barber. I am going to say this is 100% a done deal based on that impeccable logic.

Welcome home Jota...

 

First team's barber you say?


* it that's enough for me.

 

some rumours are a cut above the rest.

 

Everyone will have had a personal “Ooft, this kid is gifted” moment watching Jota. There have been enough goals and assists, dainty flicks and even daintier tricks to make a YouTube compilation of his 2021-22 season on loan at Celtic as lengthy as those profiling some players’ entire careers in the famous hooped shirt.

For some, that moment might have arrived earlier than for others.

The precision of his close control in bringing down a high ball in his debut against Ross County in September; the mesmeric feet and inch-perfect delivery he produced for Albian Ajeti’s opener away to Real Betis a few days later in the Europa League; his cushioned first touch and emphatically finished second in a 2-0 win over Motherwell in October.

By the time he produced his endlessly watchable pass for Kyogo Furuhashi’s goal at home to Ferencvaros later that week, there were few left unconvinced by his talent.




The £6.5 million purchase option negotiated with Portuguese side Benfica increasingly felt like a bargain as autumn shivered into winter, but while images of Jota celebrating among fans in the stands illustrated a player loving life, the former Portugal Under-21 international staying at Celtic permanently was by no means guaranteed.

After the winter break, figures at his parent club, despite being managerless since Jorge Jesus’ sacking in December, suggested he could return to a meaningful role next season and that uncertainty about the future appeared to impact his performances. A Benfica fan from Lisbon, no one could begrudge the 23-year-old the opportunity to go home to play regularly for his boyhood club.

Yet when incoming manager Roger Schmidt confirmed Jota would not be part of his plans, it clarified the situation. It is believed Jota is now close to making his move to Celtic permanent, as first reported by Portuguese outlet A Bola. He reportedly became convinced that staying at Celtic pushes him forward, just as his initial loan move to Glasgow was the platform he needed to relaunch a career that was beginning to stutter.

Jota’s baseline ability has always been immense. He was a star of Benfica’s renowned academy, reaching the final of the 2016-17 UEFA Youth League alongside Joao Felix, now of Atletico Madrid. He also earned 73 youth caps between under-15 and under-21 level, winning the Under-19 European Championship in 2018 and being named in the team of the tournament.

Yet there was initial scepticism over a player who, prior to his arrival a month into Celtic’s season, had made only 40 first-team appearances by the age of 22; the red flag of a prodigy struggling to fulfil their potential and labouring to make a home anywhere.

Celtic became that home. As the season wore on, Jota grew into arguably their most important attacking player despite that dip in form in early spring, especially with Furuhashi missing most of the second half of the campaign. The table below lists the core attacking and creative metrics of Celtic players who featured in 1,000 minutes or more in 2021-22.




Notably, the only two metrics in which Jota did not finish in the top three — expected goals (xG) and goals per 90 minutes — he still placed fourth and fifth respectively, averaging 0.37 xG and 0.36 goals per 90. If you tally up his goals and assists, he produced 0.75 goal contributions every 90 minutes across all competitions. Not bad for a winger who had never before played more than 1,000 minutes of top-flight football in a single season.

Where it gets even more interesting is when his Europa League group-stage contributions are looked at.

He was absent from December’s dead rubber against Real Betis, Celtic’s group finale, because of a hamstring injury but in the other five matches, he contributed two goals and two assists over 412 minutes of game time. Only Furuhashi, with his two goals and three assists, bettered Jota’s output, and no other player was involved in more than two goal contributions.

The basic stats tell one story but in a group-stage campaign that exposed the technical limitations of some of Ange Postecoglou’s players at a European level, Jota’s comfort on that stage stood in stark contrast. This was a player whose technique, close control, balance, and athleticism saw him excel on the big occasions.

In that sense, acquiring Jota on a permanent basis would be a significant signing.

There were players last season who contributed to Celtic’s domestic success but struggled in the Europa League, and will realistically be uncomfortable with the looming step-up to the Champions League this autumn. To compete in that competition and elevate Postecoglou’s project to the next level requires strengthening at a number of key positions — and retaining players who can thrive in that environment. Jota joining permanently fulfils the latter.

Celtic are also confident that, despite the £6.5 million fee and Benfica’s 30 per cent sell-on clause, Jota would be a worthwhile investment. There is satisfaction that if he continues to develop, both his future on-pitch contributions and potential resale value will vindicate their substantial outlay on his services. It is a similar situation to the possibility of making defender Cameron Carter-Vickers’ stay permanent, even with eyebrows raised over spending £6 million on a player with one year left on his contract at Premier League side Tottenham.

But Celtic would be good for Jota, too. He is a firm fan favourite and inspired one of the chants of the season adapted from O-Zone’s dance-pop classic Dragostea Din Tei.


Champions League football is the ultimate ambition for any footballer and would test the limits of Jota’s talent, and further seasons in Glasgow would reinforce that title and trophy-chasing mentality. Then there is Postecoglou and assistant John Kennedy, whose coaching on a team and individual level Jota knows would help him improve as a player, too.

Jota played some of the best football of his season once Schmidt clarified his Benfica plans, contributing three goals in three assists in the five post-split fixtures. Having that clarity of direction would help Jota focus going into next year, while he excelled as part of an exciting front three alongside Daizen Maeda and Furuhashi, and the potential for what the trio can produce after a full pre-season together is tantalising.

This is a move that would make sense for both parties. Jota would find a home to flourish and a platform in which to develop, while Celtic retain a talent they can be confident of selling for profit in future — but more importantly purchasing a player they believe can come alive under the Champions League spotlight.

 

His form pre injury was as good as anything I remember from a winger. He was ridiculous. Our best player in the EL groups imo.

He definitely took a while to get back to his best, but towards the end there he really started to pick it back up again.

6.5m for him is daylight robbery in the current market.

 

I think he's so good. Had a blip in the middle of the season but he's been terrific. By far the best first touch at the club, which is amazing considering who we have.

He's also not scared of how physical our game is.

 

Frighteningly good video

His first touch and close control is as good as any I've seen in a Celtic jersey..

Has so much in his locker. His crossing is top drawer. So creative..

Such a great character as well that has more gears to go through..

 

Yeah, it's scary to think he has areas he can still improve further in, he has so much potential. Here's hoping he can fulfil it, ideally mostly with us.

 

Unreal video. Doesn’t even show the Ferencvaros assist or goal.