Major update on Jota to Celtic transfer as Portuguese outlet details ‘huge turnaround’ development
CELTIC are closing in on a permanent deal for Jota, according to reports in Portugal.
The winger has been a revelation for Ange Postecoglou’s side this season, chipping in with 13 goals and 14 assists.
Hoops fans have been clamouring for months for the club to make it a permanent arrangement.
It’s understood a fee in the region of £6.3m was agreed between Celtic and Benfica at the start of Jota’s loan spell.
And now respected Portuguese newspaper A Bola claims the deal is all but complete – with the wide man desperate to run to Glasgow after such a successful first season.
The report states that barring “a huge turnaround” the transfer should be concluded over the summer, with Jota said to now be away on holiday but expecting to “continue to shine” at Parkhead next season.
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The paper also says that Benfica have inserted a 30% sell on clause on any future transfer of the player.
Meanwhile, two of Celtic's four Japanese stars are included in the squad for next month's Kirin Cup ties - but another two miss out.
There's places in Hajime Moriyasu's squad for Hoops strikers Kyogo Furuhashi and Daizen Maeda.
But midfielders Reo Hatate and Yosuke Ideguchi are left out from the group which will take on Paraguay, Brazil, Ghana and Chile or Tunisia over a fortnight at the start of June.
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They face Brazil in Tokyo on June 6, along with Paraguay four days earlier in Sapporo.
They also play Kirin Cup games against Ghana and either Chile or Tunisia later in the month.
It's a well earned rest for Hatate, who has featured regularly since arriving with the Scottish Champions in January.
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Ideguchi has rarely featured for his new club due to injury, although he did make a half hour cameo during the 6-0 win over Motherwell on the last day of the season.
He could have a bigger role to play during the next campaign with midfielders Tom Rogic and Nir Bitton moving on.
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Moriyasu hinted that the Hoops strikers could have a major role to play in the matches recently - as he mentioned them in the same breath as Brazil duo Neymar and Vinicius Junior.
He said: “We are building towards our final squad for the World Cup and to play a team like Brazil with so many wonderful players will be a great test for us.”
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