Fun-loving Jota has joked that his grand plan to make an emotional return to Celtic might be in jeopardy after scoring in an unconventional manner for Rennes.
The winger, currently rebuilding his career in Ligue 1 following a troubled £25m transfer to Al-Ittihad, netted against Brest last weekend, though the goal came at a personal cost.
Sharing his thoughts on social media, Jota quipped: “Profitable week this one. We build on it, not so much for the future generations of Jotinhas tho (last pic).”
His humorous post referred to the painful nature of his goal, which involved an unfortunate deflection off a delicate area.
This comes just weeks after the 25-year-old promised Celtic fans he would one day bring his children to experience the iconic atmosphere of Celtic Park.
Earlier this month, Jota reflected fondly on his time at the Glasgow club, describing the deep connection he felt with the supporters.
“You had to be in Glasgow at that moment to feel it,” he said.
“Playing at Celtic Park, feeling the love of the fans, having the chance to be coached by an incredible coach (Ange Postecoglou) in a group where everything turned out well. You have to thank everyone.
“I hope one day to be able to show my children what it was like, all the love I received. I’ll remember it for the rest of my life. It touched me because I didn’t expect it. When they started singing it, it was a very special moment.”
Jota’s light-hearted social media presence and warm memories of Celtic have only further endeared him to fans, who continue to follow his career closely.