Celtic handed injury bombshell as long-term absentee set to miss start of next season and beyond

The 27-year-old Portuguese player is currently back in his homeland after suffering rehabilitation setbacks following a serious ACL injury sustained in a 5-0 win over Dundee United last April, which saw Celtic secure the 2024/25 title under Brendan Rodgers.

They have since won another title and the Scottish Cup under Martin O’Neill in an extraordinary campaign but Jota has not featured at all. He has missed the entire O’Neill era second time around and won’t play for him unless the Northern Irishman is re-hired, which remains one of several managerial options for the Celtic board.

Whoever is in place at the start of the season will not have immediate access to Jota’s qualities. When asked if the player will be ready for the new season, O’Neill presented a bleak scenario.

“I can't see it, I can't see it,” the 74-year-old said shortly after leading Celtic to the double with a 3-1 win over Dunfermline Athletic on Saturday afternoon. “He's had a couple of setbacks. He's now in Portugal, doing some rehab. He's had one of those little blood injections to try and get the thing up and running.

“With the best will in the world, I'd be hoping, if I think about it, maybe by Halloween (for a return), maybe earlier. But I wouldn't be thinking about him for the start of this season.”

Jota has now been sidelined for 13 months and O’Neill has already had to play down fears about the player’s career. The winger re-joined Celtic on a five-and-a-half-year deal in January last year having left for an ill-fated stay at Saudi Arabia club Al-Ittihad, from where he joined Rennes for a short spell.

He scored five times in 16 appearances after returning to Parkhead before sustaining knee ligament damage in a 50-50 challenge for the ball with then Dundee United player Allan Campbell at Tannadice.