Jota sees perfect Celtic transfer exit 'vision' blur as Al Ittihad endgame arrives with uncomfortable truth

Jota is approaching his Al Ittihad endgame as Nuno Espirito Santo's transfer vision for the former Celtic winger approaches the final hurdle.

The Portuguese signed for the Tigers for £25m deal in July but ever since, the 24-year-old has had mounting transfer chat around his name. Talk has swirled from dressing room fallouts to being let go as a free agent, and with the Saudi transfer window shutting this week, all is about to become clear.

Since his move from the Premiership champions, Jota is yet to start a league game, and Al Ittihad have a cap of eight foreigners to work with. Mo Salah is THE player they are desperately trying to convince to swap Liverpool for the middle-east and have already had huge numbers knocked back, but the Athletic claim that the Celtic import was initially signed with a view to switching to Espirito Santo's favoured system with wingers, but has so far played with a narrow diamond.

The report claims Salah and Jota are 'key to that vision' but a lack of headway with Salah has proved troubling. That means Al Ittihad "either find an alternative target for the left-wing position or stick to their current narrow set-up which leaves them with a Jota question to answer."

So the Celtic hero stands poised to watch whether or not his club can get a winger to help him out on the flanks. Or he could be frozen on the fringes until European markets open again in the New Year.

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