As reported by MailSport, 25-year-old winger Jota is set to make a dramatic permanent return to Celtic, just 18 months after leaving the club for a significant £25 million transfer to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad.
The Portuguese star has now signed a long-term contract with the Scottish champions, completing a remarkable homecoming.
Jota deal always a priority for Brendan Rodgers
Brendan Rodgers made securing a winger a top priority during the January transfer window.
When Jota, a fan favorite, became available after falling out of favor with Rennes in France, the Celtic hierarchy acted swiftly. His £9 million return to Glasgow is expected to be officially announced within the next 24 hours.
Heading in the opposite direction is Kyogo Furuhashi. During his virtual media conference on Friday, Rodgers confirmed that the 30-year-old forward had been seeking a move away from Celtic for an extended period.
Kyogo leaves behind an impressive record, having scored 85 goals in 165 appearances during his successful three-and-a-half-year stint at Celtic Park.
The Japanese striker has completed a £10 million transfer to Ligue 1 club Rennes, and the focus now turns to finding a replacement before the transfer window closes.
Brendan Rodgers confident on Kieran Tierney loan deal
Rodgers also expressed optimism about securing a six-month loan deal for Kieran Tierney. The Arsenal left-back is expected to sign a pre-contract agreement to rejoin his boyhood club on a free transfer in the summer.
However, complications could arise. Tierney’s Arsenal teammate Oleksandr Zinchenko is attracting interest from Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund.
Should Zinchenko leave the Emirates in this window, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta may be reluctant to allow Tierney to depart as well, leaving Celtic’s short-term plans in jeopardy.
Scotland’s transfer window deadline looms
Scotland’s transfer window officially closes on February 3 at 11 pm, leaving Celtic with little time to finalize their business. As the Jota signing has shown, unexpected moves remain a possibility in what promises to be a busy few days for the club.
