Aiden McGeady sets Jota a Celtic challenge to STAY and still make millions by leaving Saudi wanting

Aiden McGeady has told Jota to stick around at Celtic and back himself to earn big bucks down the road.

The 37-year-old has been in a similar situation after leaving Parkhead for Spartak Moscow in 2009 but is urging the Portuguese star to hone his undoubted skills in Glasgow for a little while longer. Al Ittihad are aiming to make the 24-year-old signed by Celtic in 2021 their latest marquee European import and a deal worth around £25m and a mind-boggling £200k per-week is on offer.

But McGeady - who is currently a free agent after leaving Hibs - insists it's not a move to run to quite yet. He said on Sportsound: "There's two ways of looking at it. Jota probably didn't have any real loyalty to Celtic, did he, it's a short career and some people look at it as can I make as much money as I can.

"But in my mind I would be thinking if you are that good, that money will come to you eventually. I think he's very young to be taking that step. It's the established players right now who are going across there. I can't speak for Jota, he might be getting life-changing money he thinks he can't turn down, and he probably can't.

"But I would have liked to have seen him stay at Celtic for another couple of years and then try the Premier League, or somewhere else. Then that money he is getting in the short-term will come back to you eventually."