Jota was born in Lisbon, Portugal, on 30 March 1999 (age 27), and his senior route began at Benfica. A loan away from Lisbon helped move him beyond prospect status before Celtic brought him in from Benfica in August 2021.
At Celtic he was primarily used from the left, wearing number 17 and giving the side width, carry and end product without needing much theatre around it. His best league season came in 2022-23, when he scored 11 goals in 33 appearances. Across his Celtic spells, he won three Premiership titles, one Scottish Cup and two League Cups.
He left Celtic in July 2023 for Al-Ittihad in a deal worth around £25m. Spells with Al-Ittihad and Rennes followed before a return to Celtic, where he became more settled again. In 2026-27 he has made four league appearances, with his form described as solid and consistent rather than spectacular.
His market value is around £4.5m, according to Transfermarkt. Jota’s career has had its detours, but Celtic has remained the place where his football has made most sense.
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