Celtic Wasn't at work this weekend at Scottish Premiership With their scheduled clash with Dundee at Parkhead postponed due to storm damage to the stadium.
It means the Hoops are in action in the Champions League for the second match as they prepare to take on Aston Villa in the Premier League on Wednesday evening.
The Scottish giants have already qualified for the qualifying stage of the competition, having beaten the young boys 1-0 last time out, but they still have a chance of going beyond that by overcoming Villa and finishing in the top eight.
Brendan Rodgers He will have to prepare for this clash at Villa Park without the striker who has started winning against the young boys, as Kyogo Furuhashi is on the verge of a move from the club.
Japan International, which registered 85 goals in 165 matches For Celtic in all competitions, he is set to join Ligue 1 side Rennes in a deal She is reported to be worth £10 million.
While losing a player with his record is a blow, given his proven percentage in front of goal, the Hoops are set to receive an immediate boost by signing Jota from Rennes.
Why Jota could be a big signing for Celtic
The Portuguese striker was in Glasgow this weekend to put the finishing touches on Transfer of £8 million From the French outfit, 18 months after his move to Etihad from Celtic in the summer of 2023 for a £25 million fee.
Rodgers will not have the striker available for selection for the trip to Birmingham, as he is not registered as part of their squad for the league stage, and will have to wait for the knockout rounds in Europe this season.
Jota will be available immediately, barring any injury issues, though, and could make his debut, provided the deal is officially completed by then, for next weekend's trip to Motherwell in the Premier League.
The 25-year-old wizard has not enjoyed much time in France this season, with One goal and zero assists In nine top-flight appearances, but Celtic already know he has the quality to make a big impact in Scotland, due to his form for the club in the past.
As you can see in the graphic above, Jota has been incredibly productive during his two Premier League seasons with Ange Postecoglou in the dugout, reaching double figures for both goals and assists in both the 2021/22 and 2022/23 campaigns.
The former Benfica star is a left winger who can provide a significant and consistent threat with his ability to score goals and create assists for others.
With over a week left in the January transfer window, Celtic may not be done yet and they could secure a dream signing for Jota by snapping up one of their other targets.
Celtic are keen on the midfielder
The Glasgow Times reported Earlier this week, the Glasgow Giants are one of the teams interested in a deal to sign Motherwell central midfielder Lennon Miller.
It has been claimed that the Premier League outfit have already rejected a £2.5m bid from League One Udinez for the Scotland U21 International, as they are holding out for a bigger deal.
The outlet reports that Oaldwell wants a fee in the region of £4m to sell the 18-year-old talent during the January transfer window, as they appear to not want to lose their top talent midway through the 2024/25 campaign.
The Glasgow Times added that Celtic and Rangers are keen on the young Scot, but did not reveal whether or not one of them would make a firm bid to secure his services before the second half of the season.
Udinez's formal bid for his signature, although rejected, could be a wake-up call for Glasgow's clients' operations, as there is serious competition for the star midfielder's signature this month and they could miss out on him if they don't act now.
The Hoops should be pushing to sign the ace teenager before the end of the January transfer window as he could be an exciting addition to the squad and a dream signing for Jota.
Why Lennon Miller would be a dream for Jota
As mentioned above, the Portuguese striker has had a difficult time of late in France, failing to produce much quality in the final third in Ligue 1, but he is a player who has the potential to score goals on a regular basis when he is at his best.
Celtic could help him get back on track in front of goal by putting him in a team full of creative players who can give him the ball in areas where he can flourish at the top end of the pitch.
Miller's form for Oladuel in the Premier League this season suggests he is a player who can help Jota by creating quality chances for the winger.
The 18-year-old star, who was Described as “ridiculous” Written by James McFadden Created eight 'big chances' And made 1.8 key passes per game across 19 Premier League matches.
Meanwhile, There is no central midfielder in the Celtic squad He created more than seven 'big chances', suggesting Miller could arrive as Parkhead's most creative midfield talent, making it a dream for a target like Jota by consistently putting him in positions to find the back of the net.
|
24/25 Prime Minister |
Lennon Miller |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
19 |
|
Objectives |
2 |
|
Helps |
6 |
|
Tackles + interceptions per game |
3.4 |
|
Recover the ball for each game |
6.6 |
|
Ground fencing success rate |
60% |
As you can see in the table above, the Scottish maestro also provides quality out of possession, winning the majority of his physical battles on the ground while making several defensive tackles per game.
These stats suggest that the teenage ACE is a quality midfielder who could come off as a great signing for Celtic in the short and long term, due to his age, while he has been a dream for Jota with his creativity in the middle of the park.
