‘That’s horrific’ ‘Like Saturday morning Pub football’ ‘shambles of a move’ Celtic fans react to goal from Treble hero

Soccer Football - Scottish Premiership - Celtic v Aberdeen - Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - May 27, 2023 Celtic's Carl Starfelt, Jota and Matt O'Riley pose with the trophy after winning the Scottish Premiership REUTERS/Russell Cheyne

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.

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.

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