Jota has ruined his Premier League chance after Celtic deal agreed – pundit
Jota is taking a big risk by quitting Celtic for the Saudi Pro League.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, former Gers defender Alan Hutton said the ex-Hoops star will be one of the first younger players to attempt the move to Saudi Arabia but is unsure if it will work in his favour.
The Celts confirmed (3 July) that the 24-year-old had left to join Saudi side Al-Ittihad after two seasons in Glasgow.
The winger joined Celtic on loan in August 2021 before making a permanent move to Scotland the following summer.
Even though Benfica retain a sell-on fee for the Portuguese youth international, Brendan Rodgers’ side have made a tidy profit on the youngster who they signed for £6.5m last summer after selling him this year for £25m.
When asked if Jota will still be able to make the switch to the top five leagues following his stint in Saudi, Hutton told Football Insider: “The fact is I do not know.
“He is of a good age where he has got a lot of football left.
“If you look at the players signing over there, they are 32,33 so that might be their farewell but we have not really seen yet a younger player do that, to go there, stay for two or three seasons and see what it is actually like.
“Is he going to go over there and score 40 goals a season, we do not know.
“Then how do the other leagues look at it? If he has done well over there, can he actually hack it in the Premier League.
“Time is going to tell but he definitely has the ability to raise his game and get tot that level.“
In other news, Celtic’s £25m striker plan revealed.