“Saudi Minister Confirms Jota’s Stay at Al-Ittihad, Squashing Celtic Return Rumors”
Rumors of Jota making a sensational summer return to Celtic have been definitively dismissed.
Jota, a treble-winner, made a significant £25 million move to Saudi Arabia last summer after two successful years at Celtic. However, his time at Al-Ittihad has been tumultuous, marked by his unexpected exclusion from the club’s Pro League squad for the first half of the season. This led to limited appearances in cup competitions and the Asian Champions League, sparking speculation about a possible quick exit.
Following the sacking of manager Nuno Espirito Santo, Jota found new opportunities under the new manager, Marcelo Gallardo, who reinstated him in January. Despite this, the former Benfica youth star finished the season with only five goals and one assist in 25 appearances. Reports from the Middle East last month suggested that the 25-year-old was open to a “dream” return to Glasgow.
However, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Sport, Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Saud, has quashed any possibility of this happening, stating that Jota will be given a fresh start under new management for the upcoming season.
He explained on the Eight Podcast, “Former coach Nuno Santo was the one who requested Jota after a letter reached the recruitment committee. But when you contract a player you want from your budget and he does not play, this gives us the impression that there is an administrative error that can be fixed.”
As one of the four clubs backed by the country’s Public Investment Fund, Al-Ittihad also signed high-profile players like Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante last summer. Abdulaziz bin Turki stated that there would be no more big-money signings from Europe and confirmed Jota’s future with the club.
“Ittihad’s management informed the player recruitment program that it does not want any new foreign player and will continue with Grohe, Kante, Jota, Benzema, Hamdallah, Coronado, Romarinho, and Hegazy next season,” he said.
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