There was almost universal sadness among Celtic fans as they watched a clip of Jota scoring in a friendly for Al Ittihad against Al Wehda FC yesterday.
Usually there is an element on anger and hostility towards any player that leaves Celtic but there was something tragic about watching the Superstar from Portugal netting in a friendly where the loudest voices came from the players on each side.
Earning £200,000 a week there are compensations for Jota but after two impressive seasons at Celtic it looks like his career development has taken a firm second place to his bank balance.
The former Benfica winger was one of the first transfers to the Saudi League during the summer transfer window but as Al Ittihad continued to spend he missed the cut with just eight foreign players registered for league matches.
It’s pretty sad to see this is where Jota is a year on from scoring in the Champions League for us.
A dead atmosphere friendly in Saudi Arabia & not even in Al Ittihad sqaud for competitive matches.
Life changing money though, can’t criticise that. pic.twitter.com/KIhp7cO13K
— Everything Celtic (@aboutceltic) October 16, 2023
A year ago he was in-between goals against RB Leipzig and Real Madrid in the Champions League and being named in Portugal’s preliminary squad for the World Cup Finals in Qatar.
Now he faces an uncertain future waiting to see what happens in January with a move to Spurs and an Ange Postecoglou reunion the subject of strong speculation.
Having banked £25m before Benfica got a cut on the fee, a return to Celtic looks highly unlikely but that won’t stop hoops fans tracking his career and thinking of what might have been for last year’s Superstar.
Get him back on loan at Christmas We’ve only got 70 mil in the bank & a recruitment team without a clue
— Mark (@sparco1979) October 16, 2023
Like Saturday morning Pub football
— Hoopybhoy ???? (@PaddyBhoy1965) October 16, 2023
Saw a tweet the other week, Jordan Henderson (ex Liverpool) playing in front of a crowd of 900 odd people over there.
— Tony McBanzai ???? (@geronitoo) October 16, 2023
That’s horrific
— Gary (@Gary44238541987) October 16, 2023
That’s awful. That’s a worse atmosphere than a Celtic b team game.
He will probably regret leaving every minute of every day…until pay day.
They’ll pay up his contract in jan or he will go out on loan.
It’s a shambles of a move….finance aside.
— G (@G44724885) October 16, 2023
i miss him so much
— happyman27 (@happyman27_) October 16, 2023
Very sad to see.
— Aidan (@Aidan1888__) October 16, 2023
Just read the friendly part, even so that’s Saturday morning amateur stuff!
— Stephen Herson (@Herson_7) October 16, 2023
Get him back to Paradise @CelticFC
— Gallusnthat (@glesgablooper) October 16, 2023
Struggling to even celebrate there. Hope they pay him a good whack of his contract and let him go enjoy his football elsewhere
— Ross Austin (@RossAustin83) October 16, 2023
There’s the Conedy Gold floor show started already about the sevco bew guy in charge,apparently he turned down loads of offers from other clubs and a megabucks money offer from the Saudis league,oh how convenient.
Now this is when the BIG JACKANORIES start about players he has worked with previously heading to ibrox to team up again with the new guy,and all of them will be WORLD CLASS PLAYERS that always wanted to play for sevco.
There’s the shite starting just now with Butland heading to Birmingham in January now that Wayne Looney is the manager,expect the funny money and early Christmas transfer BINGO announcements soon.
Mixed feelings about Jota, but he’s a big boy and made his decision.
However, hopefully he has a new agent?
It should have been a stipulation in his contract that he was one of the
named, 8 foreigners allowed – and guaranteed – for the duration of his contract.
Or, he simply didn’t sign and stayed at Celtic.
He’s maybe now finding out that he’s not as money-driven as he thought he was…? 🙁
I would like Jota to return, however I think Ange will get him in January.
Peter Lawwell is extremely unlikely to sign Jota either on loan or permanently, the money has been banked ready for shareholders dividend payout, Lawwell will want his cut of that.
Fans should see that clearly after little was spent to properly improve the team before season commenced.
Lawwell should have been out and stayed out, forever known as the man who blew 10 in a row, along with his puppet Lennon.
He is in an open prison!