Jota joined Al-Ittihad in a £25million deal this week to simultaneously boost Celtic chiefs' coffers and break Hoops fans' hearts - no more than his own, he says.
The Portuguese winger joined Celtic on loan at the start of the Ange Postecoglou revolution as a fresh faced teen who had played little first-team football for Benfica and endured a relatively disappointing spell at Spanish side Real Valladolid. It's fair to say that Jota saw his breakthrough at Celtic Park; 13 goals in 40 games equalled his goalscoring tally for both Benfica and Valladolid over a six year spell, and last season he recorded similar figures with 15 goals - two of those coming in the Champions League as he nailed down a boosted reputation across the continent.
But with Al-Ittihad coming in with a £25million bid, it made financial sense for both club and player for him to move on, equalling their record transfer sale when Kieran Tierney departed for Arsenal in 2019. And the Portugal wing star penned his thoughts on the move - saying that he loves Celtic more than some of his former girlfriends.
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He posted on his Instagram: "No words will ever express how grateful I am for this ride. Let me tell you something, what a f**king ride.
"I stepped into Paradise as a young lad with dreams to fulfil and a single goal, to find happiness doing what I love the most. I was scared, I had doubts, and I didn’t know what to expect from something that in the end turned out to be one of the most beautiful stories ever.
"People often ask me what is so special about Celtic and I feel like there’s no straight answer. There’s no fair answer for it. The answer lies in a deep feeling, a sense, an emotion. There’s a mystical fog flowing around Celtic Park that induces you to this sense of football edge. This football heritage gave us unforgettable moments and you can’t explain it, you need to feel it. You need to respect it.
“I’m such a lucky man to have lived two years of excitement and getting to evolve as a football player and as a person. To the players, to the staff and for all of the involved departments, a big thank you from me. You made me better.
“To the fans, and I always say this, you guys found a way of loving me more than my previous girlfriends and I guarantee you that we were crazy in love. For what matters, I think I loved you more than them so believe me, I’ll love you for life.
“I’ve recently learned that happiness is not found at the finishing line, it lies in the path. I am grateful for every rain drop in Glasgow, every trip to the Highlands, and 'wow those were long'. Every bit of Glaswegian banter and so it goes on, so many stories, so many things to remember.
"Celtic will always have a special place in my heart, and one day my biggest dream will be to sit down with my kids and just tell them how magical and special this place is because life is all about stories and this one was just unbelievable.
"Today I become another fan, the ones that live and make the club. Forever yours."
