CeltsAreHere understands Celtic are targeting an early October return to matchday squads for Jota as the winger continues his recovery from a long-term knee injury.
Celtic hope to begin integrating Jota back into matchday squads after the October international break.
The current plan is not to rush him straight into heavy minutes.
Instead, Jota could initially be used around domestic games to help manage the workload of players who have been involved in European games during the week.
His omission from Celtic’s Europa League squad also shows where he is currently in his recovery.
Had the club believed Jota was already close to being fully ready for regular first-team football, there would have been a stronger case for including him in the European squad.
The focus remains on building his fitness gradually and getting him back to the point where he can handle competitive minutes consistently.
He returned to work on the training pitch during the summer, which was an important step, but there is still a difference between training and being ready for the demands of first-team football.
Celtic have a busy run coming after the October international break.
They travel to Motherwell on October 11 before facing Benfica in Europe four days later, while Hearts visit Celtic Park on October 18.
That period could now bring Jota back into matchday squads, even if his involvement is limited at first.
The club are pleased with his progress and the fact he is ahead of schedule, but there is no intention to force the issue.
The priority is to get Jota back into squads first, then increase his minutes as his fitness and sharpness improve.
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