DONE DEAL:  Everton are set to to sign 24-year-old forward for free, just months after he made £25m move

Everton is one of several clubs interested in Al Ittihad’s Jota.

The Toffees may contemplate a move for the forward after he was left out of Al Ittihad’s team for the season, according to 90min.

Jota joined Celtic in 2021 and made an immediate impact, scoring 21 goals and giving 21 assists in 62 league appearances. Celtic fans were taken aback when the 24-year-old chose to leave for a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia this summer.

Al-Ittihad signed Al Ittihad alongside Fabinho, Karim Benzema, and N’Golo Kante in July for a club record sum of £25 million.

Jota scored his maiden goal against Al-Wehda in August, but things have already soured because he was not registered to play in the current season.
Talks are already underway between the former Portugal youth international and the Saudi club, who want to release him from his contract so he can return to Europe as soon as possible.
A number of clubs have expressed interest in signing Jota on a free transfer, including Everton, Brentford, Crystal Palace, Fulham, West Ham, and Celtic. Tottenham Hotspur, on the other hand, appears to be the favorite to win the race.
Ange Postecoglou signed the attacker for Celtic two years ago and may be interested in rejoining with him, while the attacker may be eager to reunite with his former boss.

However, it has been rumored that Al Ittihad may keep Jota until January in order to profit from his departure. They will almost certainly have to accept a loss on the £25 million they paid for him in the summer.

Jota would be a bold signing for Everton.
Jota might be a big bargain if he becomes available on a free transfer in the near future, and he could still be cheap if Al Ittihad decides to trade him in the new year.

The forward would be an excellent signing for Everton and would surely improve their frontline, but bringing him to Goodison Park would be a massive surprise.

Jota is estimated to earn around £200,000 per week at Al-Ittihad, and while he will almost certainly have to accept a wage reduction if he moves, Everton do not have the funds to offer him a lucrative deal.

If Tottenham stay in the competition, it seems unlikely that the Toffees will move ahead of them, while a move to London with any of the other interested parties (save Celtic) would likely put Sean Dyche’s side even lower down the list.