Is it harsh to say that Celtic should terminate Jota’s contract? It’s looking less and less likely he’ll ever play at the top level again

Just over three years on from Felipe Jota’s £25 million transfer from Celtic to Al-Ittihad, the Portuguese winger now looks to be in limbo when it comes to his footballing future since his return to Paradise.

The big question here is will he ever kick a football at the top level of the game again?

Martin O’Neill confirmed that it now looks like Halloween before he’ll be fit to play again.

But in reality, what are the long term effects of having been out of the game for such an extended period of time?

Would Jota potentially be able to reach the heights he did in his previous two stints at the club?

And I say two stints because having been out of the game for 18 months now – if he does return – it will seem like he’s starting all over again.

But that is the most pertinent question here.

Can he, and will he be able to make a Celtic return in light of such an extended absence from the game?

Or has he gone beyond the point of no return?

I know this might sound harsh, but if he is gone beyond the point of no return, should Celtic be cutting their losses?

And by that, I mean should they be terminating Jota’s contract?

Look, I know there’s nothing more any of us would want than to see Jota marauding up and down the wings for Celtic.

In his pomp, he had few equals.

I want to see him back fit and firing for Celtic.

But each time we get a glimmer of hope that he might be coming back, we are informed of yet another setback.

Which begs the question, is he capable of coming back at all?

Now I get that the medical team at Celtic will eventually have to make a call on this.

They will eventually have to say that comeback is, or isn’t possible for Jota.

Realistically, if he is incapable of making a comeback by late October – as the manager has predicted – then a call on his long-term future would have to be made.

That might sound heartless, I know.

But if Jota is incapable if fulfilling his role at the club, then the club has to find someone who can.

In addition to this, Jota earns a decent salary.

Once again, I don’t want to sound heartless here, but think of the kind of player we could get in on similar wages to replace the Portuguese winger?

A football player who can’t function at a football club is a drain on resources the longer he is retained.

I want Jota to recover.

I want to see him tormenting the Ibrox defence in the way he used to.

And I’m pretty sure he is itching to do the same.

But he also knows that if he can’t fully recover, then he needs to make a decision for his future too.

And I sincerely doubt that entails sitting in the Celtic stands indefinitely.

While earning a wage that could be allocated to the player required to replace him.

Football is a cruel game.

If Jota’s career ends this way, then he will epitomise just how cruel it is.

He deserves better.

He didn’t ask or look for the injury that befell him.

It just happened.

But life goes on.

Celtic goes on.

Jota knows that, and we know that.

Let’s just hope that next October we’ll see him running out for the club he adores.

Imagine the cheer at Celtic Park if that happens?

That would be the fairytale ending to this sad scenario.

But football isn’t always filled with fairytales, is it?

Unless of course, you’re Lionel Messi or Folarin Balogun, that is.

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