DUNDEE, SCOTLAND - APRIL 26: Celtic's Maik Nawrocki, Paulo Bernardo, Nicolas Kuhn, Yang Hyun-Jun and Jota celebrate winning the William Hill Premiership Title during a William Hill Premiership match between Dundee Utd and Celtic at the CalForth Construction Arena at Tannadice Park, on April 26, 2025, in Dundee, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Williamson/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Martin O’Neill doesn’t expect Jota to be involved in Celtic’s pre-season training.
Celtic’s non-international players will be back in training at the end of June with the SPFL kicking off on August 1/2.
Jota suffered an ACL injury during last season’s title clincher away to Dundee United last April.
After 13 months out there has been very little news on his return date.
In two spells in charge O’Neill was unable to call on the Portuguese winger.
JOTA- CELTIC’S LOST WINGER
With Nicolas Kuhn sold last summer to Como Celtic’s winger options were badly restricted in the season just ended.
A fully fit and on form Jota would make a huge difference to the Celtic side but that date has still to be confirmed
Discussing Jota the Daily Record reports O’Neill saying:
I can’t see it. He’s had a couple of setbacks, he’s now in Portugal, doing some rehab, he’s had a bit of a, one of those little blood injections, to try and get the thing up and running.
With the best will in the world, I wouldn’t see him starting.
I’d be hoping maybe for Halloween, maybe earlier, but that’s what I wouldn’t be thinking about him for the start of this season.
That’s a tough one for him, that’s a real tough one. He’s already been out nearly 14 months.
Jota has had very little football in the last three years.
After helping Celtic to a treble under Ange Postecoglou he was sold to Al Attihad for £25m.
After limited playing time with the Saudi club and at Rennes he returned to Celtic in January 2025.
Back in the hoops he started nine matches, scoring five goals before being injured on the pitch at Tannadice.
Returning from ACL surgery is the injury that footballers fear most.
After almost 18 months out of action his return will need to be very carefully managed. Next season there will be two plastic pitches in the SPFL Premiership.
Whether he can rediscover the fantastic form of the 22/23 season will be the big question going forward.
With no firm date for his return and Daizen Maeda expected to leave Celtic fans will be expecting to see the wide areas strengthened during the summer transfer window.
Celtic do have Luis Palma returning from a second loan option but until a new manager is appointed his prospects are unknown.
CLICK HERE for Jota profile.
TWO Fu**in plastic pitches in The SPFL Premier League…
I thought they were to be abolished this summer…
For Fu*k’s sake even a club like Haven’t & Waterlooville (with the greatest of respect to them) would have to ditch it for Division 4 (League 2) of The EFL…
Only in Scotland – Only in Fu**in Scotland !
I believe that there’s no plastic pitches next year in the SPL,that was the message i understood from the start of the 25/26 season,kilmarnock and Falkirk,a disgrace to play profesional football on plastic
His career is over. It’s as simple as that.
“Setbacks” during rehab for an ACL sounds pretty terminal. It’s an injury that can rob players of their pace even when they do make a complete recovery and get back playing. I hope I’m wrong but I think if he comes back at all he’ll be a shadow of the player he was.