You get what you pay for, well most of the time you do…
Jota of Celtic celebrates after scoring only goal of the game during the Scottish Cup Semi Final match between Rangers and Celtic at Hampden Park on April 30, 2023 in . (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
The old saying that you get what you pay for is not often correct, but in the case of Joao Pedro Neves Filipe aka Jota it’s one hundred and ten percent accurate.
Celtic of course paid Benfica just under £7 million for the Portuguese player after a successful loan spell last season.
It looks to be money well spent indeed as the Superstar from Portugal has been absolutely sensational in the hoops. This season he has been involved in 25 goals and assists in just 38 games, last season he was just as productive with 27 goals and assists from 40 games.
Jota of Celtic celebrates after scoring only goal of the game during the Scottish Cup Semi Final match between Rangers and Celtic at Hampden Park on April 30, 2023 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
He’s also done not badly on the trophy trail picking up three honours thus far with a further two pending. He’s been outstanding for us and will undoubtedly pay back his fee and more. He’s a superb player who can reach as far as he wants in the game.
The same can’t be said over on the other side of the city when it comes to £7 million Poundland ‘superstar’ Ryan Kent. Steven Gerrard forked out the huge sum to land the winger from Liverpool in 2019. Despite being lauded by Rangers supporters and the media as the best talent in Scottish football (no laughing now) the want-away winger looks a forlorn figure as he prepares to leave the Ibrox club for nowt.
Ryan Kent of theRangers during the Scottish Cup semi-final defeat to Celtic at Hampden Park. Photo Neil Hanna / Sportimage E
Not only does it tell the difference in business sense between the clubs, but also the difference in player recruitment. Kent has done decent when you look at his stats of 90 goals and assist contributions in 219 games, but that doesn’t tell the whole story.
Jota will most certainly end the season with at least double the honours than Kent has in his entire five years at the Ibrox club. You get what you pay for indeed, well in some cases you do.
JustAnOrdinaryBhoy – follow on Twitter @ordinarybhoy