Rennes and João Pedro Neves Filipe “Jota” (25) will soon part ways, with the Ligue 1 club agreeing to a €10 million transfer fee with Celtic. The Portuguese winger returns to Celtic Park, where he achieved cult status. From 2021 to 2023, Jota scored 28 goals and 26 assists in 83 games with the Bhoys. It's fair to say that Jota never reached these heights at Al-Ittihad or Rennes.
Jota's stay in Jeddah was fateful from the start. Two months after arriving in Saudi Arabia, the Benfica youth product was dropped from Nuno Espirito Santo's league squad as national rules stipulate that only eight foreign players can be registered per team. The current Nottingham Forest boss wanted to retain Jota's services, but Al-Ittihad opted to drop the winger anyway, with 2022 Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema reportedly set to play a decisive role behind the scenes , in favor of central defender Luiz Felipe.
From September 2023 to March 2024, Jota will have to make scarce appearances in the FIFA World Cup and the AFC Champions League. Such a long spell away from the regular first team in a relatively small league – despite what Cristiano Ronaldo may think – had expected consequences for Jota's fitness and his situation would not improve the following summer. Despite returning under Marcelo Gallardo, Jota was back on the sidelines, with Al-Ittihad's new head coach Laurent Blanc excluding him from first-team training and Al-Ittihad resorting to parting ways with their signing of €25 million to earn back. some of their losses.
In January 2024, a swap deal involving Real Betis' Nabil Fekir and Jota failed to materialise. In the summer, Rennes completed a shock €8 million deal to offer the 25-year-old a pathway back to European football in the final hours of the summer transfer window. That's why Jota didn't have a full preseason at Al-Ittihad or Rennes, even though, given his situation, he desperately needed one. Rennes head coach Julien Stéphan said the team's summer signing would take time and possibly weeks of work before he returns to full fitness.
Jota endeared himself to the Rennes fans by scoring his debut goal when his team needed it most. Les Rouge et Noir were trailing 1-0 in the backyard of their Brittany rivals in Brest when the Portuguese tapped in Arnaud Kalimuendo's cross… with his cross. “We continue to build. Not so much for the future generations of Jotinhas,” Jota joked on social media. Sources contacted by Get French Football News described Jota as an affable player who wanted to repay Rennes for the faith they showed in him when his career was in limbo. Despite the lack of Portuguese-speaking players at Rennes, Jota's integration was made easier by the fact that he had notions of French.
Rennes' number 27 was part of a series of summer returns initiated by sporting director Frederic Massara. These signings had no experience of French football and most of them are already gone (Albert Grønbæk, Henrik Meister) or on their way out, like Mikayil Faye or Jota. Rennes' summer turnover was also determined by the departures of old fan favorites Benjamin Bourigeaud and Martin Terrier, who were not even adequately replaced, putting Massara under scrutiny.
As a result, Rennes' results deteriorated while at the same time Jota slowly got more and more minutes and starts. The Portuguese started his team's 4-0 defeat by Auxerre, which cost Stéphan his job in early November. The son of French vice-coach Guy Stéphan planned to field the Portuguese as a left winger who would dart inside to take center stage in Rennes' attacks and showcase his technical skills. But for this to work, Rennes needed a balanced midfield to provide control, prompting them to sign Seko Fofana as a priority in January.
The arrival of Jorge Sampaoli in the dug-out proved to be the final blow in Jota's career in Rennes. The Celtic-bound winger never started a match under the supervision of the Argentina manager. Get French Football News understands that the former Sevilla head coach was far from convinced that Jota would fit into his tactical setup, which relies heavily on pace and energy. “He is not at his best,” Sampaoli said at a news conference. “I need players who make continuous defensive and offensive efforts. I know Jota well from Celtic, and players who know how to make a difference in one-on-one situations are very important for us. He can do that, but I watch the training every day and decide who plays.”
Sampaoli's decision-making appears to extend beyond the pitch, as the Argentinian identified Celtic FC's Kyogo Furuhashi as an ideal target to bring in some much-needed new blood. The Japan international was motivated to test himself in a more competitive league than the Scottish Premier League and Celtic softened their stance when it emerged Jota could be available in a separate deal.
As his blossoming career took an unexpected turn 18 months ago, Celtic fans will have to be patient with Jota. But the fact that the latter decided to return to a club – in much better form than Rennes – where he created such a legacy is a clear statement of intent. “He has undeniable quality,” praised Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers. “He still has things he can prove to develop, but he is still young. If that comes through, I would really like to work with him.”
GFFN | Bastien Cheval
Comments