Returning winger Jota will be "like a new player" after stepping up his comeback during the international break, according to Celtic boss Martin O'Neill.
The Portuguese star has not played since suffering an ACL injury at Tannadice in April last year, which ruled him out for the whole of last season. The 27-year-old spent the past year rehabbing in Lisbon before returning to Lennoxtown in July, edging closer to a return after 18 months on the sidelines.
Bounce game boost
O'Neill saw the 27-year-old in action for the first time during a specially arranged bounce game against Falkirk on Friday. Crocked duo Alistair Johnston and Callum Osmand are also inching closer to fitness.
Speaking to Celtic Player, the 74-year-old gaffer said: "Jota had 45 minutes in a bounce game against Falkirk last Friday, and that was nice, that was really good."
"Alistair Johnson's on the grass now and young Callum Osmand is doing the same as well, so that's encouraging. The determination is there within the team, which is something hopefully that I can control. It's there in abundance and I don't think it ever leaves you."
He added: "A couple of other injuries are a bit further behind but we're making progress."
Yang fitness concern
However, Yang is facing a fitness check when he returns to Lennoxtown on Friday after winning the Asian Games with South Korea. The 24-year-old has been struggling with a hamstring problem but made the bench in the gold medal success, a 1-0 win over Japan.
O'Neill revealed: "Yang has gone off and he has had a hamstring problem. These are the concerns all the time when you are a club manager and your players are away on international duty, but we will see how everybody is on Friday and take it from there."
Reflecting on Jota's return, O'Neill said: "The game against Falkirk was competitive, it was really good, and it was obviously worthwhile, worthwhile for me and John McGlynn too. It was nice. But again, the focus is the most important thing and the encouragement now with some of your good players coming back will be great."
"For instance, Jota, I'd have to go back and look at videos of him, they tell me he was terrific before he headed out to Saudi, came back, picked up the injury, so it's been a long time. That will definitely – I know it's an old cliché – that definitely will feel like a new player coming to the club, as far as I'm concerned anyway."
