According to journalist Pete O’Rourke, ‘all Celtic fans’ want the club to secure Jota’s services on a permanent basis amid speculation from Sky Sports' Anthony Joseph they could do just that in the upcoming January transfer window.
The 22-year-old has been a revelation since arriving from boyhood side Benfica on a season-long loan over the summer, becoming an instant fan favourite amongst the Hoops’ faithful.
What is Jota’s current situation?
After struggling to break into the first-team squad at the Estádio da Luz, Jota moved to Celtic back in June in search of regular game time.
The deal included an option to make the transfer permanent for just over £6 million, and after bagging eight goals and laying on a further six assists in just 18 appearances for the Glasgow giants, that may happen after only six months.
An injury ruled Jota out of Celtic’s last seven fixtures prior to the winter break – including their League Cup triumph over Hibernian – but that hasn’t diminished his popularity north of the border.
With Ange Postecoglou’s charges currently sitting six points behind fierce rivals Rangers in the Scottish Premiership, they may well need a significant boost next month in order to close the gap.
And tying Jota down to a long-term contract could prove to be the turning point in what is shaping up to be an enthralling title race.
O’Rourke believes it’s a deal that would be warmly welcomed by the Celtic supporters after the scintillating start made by the former Portugal Under-21 international at Parkhead.
What has O’Rourke said about Jota?
Jota has formed a formidable partnership alongside fellow summer signing Kyogo Furuhashi in the final third of the pitch, endearing himself to the fans.
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As a result, O’Rourke claimed that the Celtic fanbase will want to see him commit his future to the club ‘as soon as possible’ rather than waiting until the summer to do so.
He told GiveMeSport: “Yeah, this is a deal all Celtic fans want to get done as soon as possible. They love Jota up there.”
How well has Jota done this season?
Jota has been magnificent for Postecoglou’s ever-improving side ever since he arrived in Scottish football, putting in a string of magnificent displays.
As per WhoScored, the creative talent has averaged three shots per league game throughout 2021/22, 1.4 dribbles and 1.5 crosses, placing him in the top two for each metric when compared to his teammates.
The clamour to sign Jota permanently comes as no surprise then, and the Celtic supporters will be hoping Postecoglou can get this deal over the line next month.