Jota has given Celtic supporters a timely lift with a positive update on his long-term injury recovery. He’s been sidelined since the end of last season and was initially projected to be out until at least February 2026.

That timeline still looks realistic as Christmas and the New Year approach, but the Portuguese winger clearly sounds in better spirits.

He took part in a fan event in Glasgow this week and spoke to Celtic TV about the long road back. Supporters who feared he might be lost for the majority of the season will be encouraged by his words and by the confidence he carries after a brutal spell on the sidelines.

Asked how his rehab was progressing, Jota kept his update simple but upbeat.

“All good, I am really thrilled to just come back and do my thing again with the help of the lads. I think it is going the right way, but obviously it is a big one so we just need to be sure about everything and that is what I want to do.”

26th April 2025; Tannadice Park, Dundee, Scotland; Scottish Premiership Football, Dundee United versus Celtic; A distraught Jota Joao Pedro Neves Filipe of Celtic injured on the pitch

The key message is caution. This has been a significant injury and, as Jota acknowledges, everything must be right before he pulls on the Celtic shirt again.

Nobody inside the club will rush this, least of all the player himself. Celtic have missed his creativity, direct running, and ability to tilt a game with a single moment of invention. When he eventually returns, the team will feel instantly different.

A different environment will be waiting for him too. Brendan Rodgers has moved on since Jota last kicked a ball, and Wilfried Nancy is now preparing to take charge.

26th April 2025; Tannadice Park, Dundee, Scotland; Scottish Premiership Football, Dundee United versus Celtic; Johnny Kenny of Celtic chats to Jota Joao Pedro Neves Filipe of Celtic who is wearing a leg brace

Jota will need to impress a new manager with a new philosophy. The positive for him is that Nancy has a track record of getting the best out of technically gifted attacking players. Jota fits that profile.

For the supporters, the wait goes on. There’s no quick fix with an injury of this scale, but they know what Jota brings when fully fit. Updates like this sharpen the anticipation a little further.

Celtic are crying out for more quality and invention in the final third. A fully refreshed Jota, whenever that day comes, could be one of the biggest boosts Nancy receives in the second half of the season.

Patience remains the theme, and the signs are finally moving in the right direction.