The fact the Jota to Celtic on a permanent basis stories have gone quiet of late is perfectly understandable, given it shows the club’s full focus is on the title race and possible Treble in the weeks ahead.
And whilst radio silence is to be expected on any matter other than the upcoming games from Celtic, that’s not the case in Portugal, where former Benfica defender and assistant manager Alvaro Magalhaes, as reported in Football Scotland, feels Jota’s time at the Stadium of Light is up and that Celtic should be his destination at the end of the season.
“I think so. He has had many opportunities and has not managed to consolidate his quality as a player. He was loaned and there is no doubt that he is having a good season in Scotland.
“There are players who have quality and value, but often they don’t adapt to their own coaches. It could be that, with another coach, he could create status at Benfica.
“But he had several opportunities – I don’t care if they were many or few – and at Benfica you don’t have to have 10 chances, you have to take one and take it. There’s no doubt he’s adapted better in Scotland and he’s doing extremely well.”
Magalhaes opinion seems to contradict reports during the Winter shutdown, where supporter’s polls in newspapers indicated a desire from Benfica’s rank and file for Jota to return home and be given a further opportunity at his home club.
It is also somewhat at odds with rumours the club themselves were regretting inserting the option to buy into the loan agreement between the clubs, agreed last summer, and trying to persuade Jota his future lay with Benfica, as the player returned to his parent club to have his hamstring injury assessed by their medical team.
For now Jota’s full focus will no doubt be on Sunday’s Glasgow Derby at Ibrox, where Celtic, with a win, have a chance to go six points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership and complete a remarkable twelve point turnaround at the top of the league since the winter break, but even if Alvaro Magalhaes doesn’t quite recognise the talent Benfica have in their ranks, Celtic certainly do, and a deal to sign up Jota to a permanent contract would be a welcome announcement from Celtic – once the job at hand is completed of course.
Niall J
Make no mistake, the Benfica hierarchy don’t want Jota back to play. They want him back because he’s excelling at Paradise and after thinking they’d won a watch with the £6.5m option to buy clause, they’re now raging and only want him back to sell him for circa £20m. Celtic is now his home and like many before him, he will always carry Celtic in his heart and will be cheering them whilst at the club or from afar when he eventually leaves.
HAIL HAIL
KEEP THE FAITH🍀🍀