Jota has opened up about his desire to reunite with Kyogo Furuhashi following his Celtic comeback, only for the Japanese striker to depart for the same club he once called home.
The Portuguese attacker sealed an £8m return to Parkhead from French outfit Rennes earlier this week, committing to a five-and-a-half-year contract that ties him to the Scottish champions until summer 2030.
His former teammate Kyogo, however, has embarked on the reverse journey, completing a £10m switch to Rennes nearly four years after arriving in Glasgow under Ange Postecoglou’s tenure during the same 2021 window that saw Jota’s initial Celtic arrival.
Speaking at his reintroduction press conference, the 25-year-old winger confessed his disappointment at missing the chance to reignite their on-field chemistry.
“Kyogo is definitely someone that I have a very good relationship with on the pitch,” he reflected.
“This is football. Everything changes from one moment to another and I wish I could still play with him more times, but as I told you, the wheel of football is always moving and then you just need to adapt yourself.”
Jota’s homecoming arrives just 18 months after his £25m exit to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad, where his Celtic legacy included 28 strikes and 26 assists across 83 appearances – first on loan from Benfica, then as a permanent signing.
“I’m buzzing at the moment,” he beamed about his return.
“It feels like home and for me that’s something that I was aiming for. Today going to Lennoxtown and training etc, it just felt like nostalgic but it felt like I’ve never left, so that’s the feeling at the moment.”
While Celtic prepare for Wednesday’s clash with Aston Villa, Jota remains ineligible for Champions League group-stage action due to registration rules.
His second debut could instead arrive in Sunday’s Scottish Premiership trip to Motherwell, where Brendan Rodgers’ side aims to extend their three-match winning streak across all competitions.
