Al-Ittihad, Saudi Arabia Pro League side, have ditched former Celtic winger Jota just one month after he was signed from Scotland.
Recall we reported that the 24-year-old completed a £25million transfer to the Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad in July.
However, fresh reports in Saudi Arabia have it that the Portuguese footballer is set to leave the club after spending 30 days.
Futballnews understands that the reason behind his shock departure is currently unclear, but some outlets are suggesting that he could be sent on loan.
João Pedro Neves Filipe, also known as Jota, only made two appearances for the club before leaving.
Before Jota joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad, he had already spent about two years in Scotland playing for Celtic.
The winger who was among the players Al-Ittihad signed this summer, scored 28 goals and provided 26 assists in 83 appearances for the Scottish side.
Jota was not the only player the Saudi Arabian side have signed this summer, they have also signed three top players so far. Karim Benzema became the first star to sign for the Saudi club in a free transfer from Real Madrid at the beginning of June after calling time on his 14-year spell at the Santiago Bernabeu.
N’Golo Kante signed from Premier League side Chelsea also like Benzema on a free transfer to the Saudi Pro League.
The former Leicester City man signed a four-year deal with Al-Ittihad upon his arrival worth £86m.
Liverpool’s Fabinho was also signed by Al-Ittihad following a £40m move from Liverpool.
Former Premier League stars, Riyad Mahrez, Jordan Henderson, Edouard Mendy and Kalidou Koulibaly are players that have joined the league as well.
Recall we reported that Neymar was the latest player to join the Saudi top flight league after signing a two year deal worth €90 million.
Who Is Jota?
João Pedro Neves Filipe, known as Jota, is a Portuguese footballer who was born on 29th March, 1999 and last played as a winger for Al-Ittihad.
Jota was born in Lisbon, and he came through Benfica’s youth academy, he started playing for Benfica B in 2018 and was promoted to the first team a year later, but played only a few minutes.
Then Jota was loaned to La Liga club Real Valladolid in 2020 and Scottish Premiership club Celtic in 2021, winning the league and Scottish League Cup, before joining the club permanently for £6.5 million in the summer of 2022.
Jota joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad for £25 million on July 3rd, 2023, and was kicked out of the club after playing just two games.
Al-Ittihad
Al-Ittihad Saudi Arabian Club simply known as Al-Ittihad and also referred to as Ittihad Jeddah, is a football club based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, founded in 1927.
The club has spent its entire history in the top flight of football in Saudi Arabia, currently known as the Saudi Pro League.
The club plays its matches at Jeddah’s main stadium King Abdullah Sports City, which is the second-largest stadium in Saudi Arabia, accommodating 62,345 fans.
Al-Ittihad has a long-standing rivalry with Al-Hilal, which is referred to as Saudi El Clasico, and is considered the most prominent and most watched annual match(es) in Saudi football.
