Martin O’Neill has revealed that Celtic winger Jota has suffered “a couple of setbacks” in his recovery from the anterior cruciate ligament injury that ruled him out of the 2025/26 campaign and will not be back for the start of the new season.
The popular Portuguese player has not played since limping off the pitch in the first half of the William Hill Premiership match against Dundee United at Tannadice in April of last year.
Fans of the Parkhead club had been hopeful the skilful wide man, who returned to Scotland in an £8.5m transfer from Rennes in France 16 months ago, was nearing a comeback and would be available for selection when the new term gets underway in August.
However, O’Neill who completed a domestic double with a Scottish Gas Scottish Cup final win over Dunfermline at Hampden on Saturday in what could prove to be his final match as manager, believes that is unlikely.
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“I can't see it,” he said. “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 wouldn't see him starting. I'd be hoping that maybe by Halloween, maybe earlier, he would. But I wouldn't be thinking about him for the start of this season. That's a tough one for him, a real tough one, as he's been out for nearly 14 months.”
Meanwhile, O’Neill has admitted that he is unsure if Celtic will offer Nigerian striker Kelechi Iheanacho, who came off the bench and scored the third goal in the Glasgow club’s 3-1 win over Dunfermline at the weekend, will be offered a new deal.
Iheanacho, the former Manchester City and Leicester City player, has endeared himself to the Scottish champions’ supporters greatly during the past nine months by pitching in with some important late winners.
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He was on target against Dundee, Hibernian and Motherwell during the title run-in.
The 29-year-old is under contract until June 30 and is keen for his current employers to trigger the 12 month extension clause in his agreement – but O’Neill does not know if the former £25m forward will be kept on.
He said. “Iheanacho keeps asking me, ‘What do you think? Are they going to keep me on?’ I tell him, ‘I've no idea, mate. Don't ask me, I'm not the manager anymore’.
“On Saturday morning again he stopped me in the lift and said, ‘What do you think? Are you staying on?’ I said, ‘I've no idea, mate. Can you just concentrate on the game?’”
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