Jota has experienced an eventful time of it so far in Saudi Arabia to say the least. He left Celtic for a club-record fee back in the summer transfer window, but a multitude of different factors have led to a difficult start to life at Al-Ittihad.
The Portuguese winger has been linked with an endless amount of clubs over the last few months, with a potential loan move or a contract termination even being on the cards at one point.
A return to Celtic was even mooted.
But could a return to Celtic realistically materialise for the 24-year-old just a matter of months after he departed the club, or is that chapter closed for good?
What has happened in Saudi Arabia?
The Saudi Pro League has a set of rules its clubs have to follow, one of those being that the clubs can only register a maximum of seven foreign players to their squads.
The end goal of this endeavour into the world of football is to build up the sport in their own nation, and Jota has fallen victim to this homegrown focus.
Former Al-Ittihad manager Nuno Espirito Santo didn’t favour his fellow countrymen and with the Portuguese coach desperate to land Brazilian centre-back Felipe, Jota wasn’t registered as the seventh and final foreign player for the club’s league squad.
With the winger being ineligible to play in the Saudi Pro League, he has made just seven appearances, which has led to rumours of his departure in January.
Reports of Jota regretting his summer transfer only fuelled the fire and speculation from Celtic supporters, but is a potential return to Glasgow just a pipe dream?
It would be an absolutely sensational move should it happen and there are a few reasons why it could.
In his still fledgling career, Jota has struggled to get settled at a club. Benfica were constantly loaning him out and he failed to set the world alight in any of those loan moves, that was until he arrived at Parkhead.
Celtic is the club where he has played the best football of his career, and it was in Glasgow that Jota looked closest to fulfilling his immense potential. Perhaps a return to familiar surroundings where his qualities are appreciated might just be what he needs to regain his confidence. Once that returns, so too will Jota tearing things up down the wing.
Why is a move elsewhere more likely?
Since Jota’s departure, Celtic have added another three wingers to the ranks in the form of Luis Palma, Yang Hyun-jun and Marco Tilio.
With Daizen Maeda and Liel Abada both also at the club, albeit currently injured, Rodgers may feel that he has enough firepower currently available at his disposal. The eye-watering sum required to afford that loan move for Jota may well be a bridge too far.
Celtic would also have to compete with the riches of the Premier League, with Newcastle United and Spurs both currently linked.
The only thing Celtic hold over those clubs is that Jota knows he will be in a comfortable environment where he can play consistently, but given the lack of loyalty in football nowadays, that won’t be enough to see Celtic come out on top in negotiations against Premier League clubs.
JAMES MCKENZIE // Follow James HERE
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