Jota could make his playing return for Celtic this month, with the Portuguese winger set to take part in a bounce game during the international break.
The 27-year-old, who rejoined the Hoops on a permanent deal from Al Ittihad in January 2025, has been sidelined for nearly a year-and-a-half after injuring his knee at Tannadice in April 2025. He has suffered setbacks since, leading some supporters to wonder whether he would ever play for the club again.
Recovery ahead of schedule
Celtic boss Martin O'Neill admitted earlier this month that Jota could be ready sooner than expected. He said: “Jota might be ready more quickly than I thought. He’s coming along very well.
“It’s been a long time, but he’s been doing really well in small-sided matches he’s been involved in.
“Jota’s not been stretched too much yet but that will come for him over this month.”
Timeline and boost for Celtic
In terms of competitive action, a return around Halloween has been suggested. The news would provide a significant boost for O'Neill and supporters after a difficult week that saw defeats to Rangers in the Premier Sported Cup and Premiership – 3-0 at Ibrox and 1-0 at Celtic Park – either side of a 3-1 home loss to Ferencvaros in the Europa League opener.
Jota was back in Lisbon this week and spoke to club media at Benfica. He said: “There is no better place in the world to evolve. No matter how many experiences I have in different places, nothing compares to what the training at Benfica was like and the development process. I usually say that Benfica Campus is the Disneyland of football.”
