Jota, born in Lisbon on 30 March 1999 (age 27), came through Benfica with the technical polish expected of that academy, but his first senior shaping came away from it. A loan at Real Valladolid gave him a season of La Liga football without making him a finished article. Celtic then took him from Benfica in August 2021, another loan at first, and a rather more productive one.
At Celtic he played chiefly from the left, wearing number 17, and quickly became more than a decorative winger. His most productive league season was 2022-23, with 11 goals in 33 appearances, and he was part of sides that won three Premiership titles, one Scottish Cup and two League Cups across his time in Glasgow. The output mattered because the style was never short of attention.
Celtic sold him to Al-Ittihad in July 2023 for around Β£25m. It was a large fee and a sharp break. The move did not settle into a long-term platform, and he later had a spell with Rennes before making a return to Celtic.
The spells between his first Celtic period and his return give his career a less tidy shape than the highlight clips might suggest. He remains a Portuguese wide player whose best football has been tied to Celtic, with his market value now around Β£4.5m according to Transfermarkt.
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