McGowan names Celtic’s Jota fee with deal done bar a late hitch

Celtic are set to collect a fee in excess of £20m with only a late hitch preventing Jota from joining Saudi club Al Ittihad where he will be a team-mate of Karim Benzena.

Benfica are due a sizeable slice of the profit after selling the winger to Celtic last summer with Brendan Rodgers’ transfer fund significantly topped up as he looks to fill a major hole in the squad he has inherited from Ange Postecpglou.

Late this afternoon a report emerged that terms had been agreed between the player and Al Ittihad leaving Celtic to negotiate the best possible terms on a player with four years to run on his contract.

Postecoglou regularly played four wingers during matches but with his ability to play on either flank and to find the net Jota made a bigger contribution than anyone else in that position, scoring in three Glasgow Derbies in the season just finished as well as in the final of the Scottish Cup.

Stephen McGowan has a greater grasp on Celtic matters than any other reporter, in the Daily Mail he explains:

CELTIC are set to sell winger Jota to Saudi Arabian champions Al-Ittihad in a deal worth more than £20million.

Signed from Benfica for £7m last summer, the Portuguese wide man has agreed terms on a life-changing salary in excess of £10m-a-year tax-free.

Real Madrid legend and Ballon D’Or winner Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante have already completed money moves to Al Ittihad.

Coached by Nuno Espirito Santos, a Jota deal is now being finalised by Portuguese super agent Jorge Mendes.

Signed initially on loan from Benfica by Ange Postecoglou, the attacker agreed to move to Glasgow on a permanent deal last July. He claimed 15 goals in 43 appearances – including a stunning free-kick in a heavy defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League – as Celtic secured a domestic treble.

Now, barring a late hitch, the 24-year-old will follow Postecoglou out the door to join countryman Cristiano Ronaldo in a Saudi Pro League hoovering up some of Europe’s top talents.

The country’s Sovereign Wealth Fun recently took control of four teams – including Al Ittihad – sparking a frenzied spending spree.

The report concluded with:

Already handed a sizeable budget for signings, Brendan Rodgers will be handed much of the Jota profit – after Benfica claim a hefty sell-on fee – to re-invest in the squad. Celtic have already signed 20-year-old Norwegian midfielder Odin Thiago Holm and have now agreed terms with Australian international winger Marco Tilio.

In January Celtic made a net profit on transfer business with Giorgos Giakoumakis and Josip Juranovic moving on after 18 months in Scotland.