Tottenham Hotspur are ready to battle it out with Newcastle United for the services of 24-year-old Al-Ittihad forward Jota.
According to a report by 90min, Tottenham Hotspur are keen on having Jota in their ranks. The London club are looking to bolster their attack in the winter transfer window and the 24-year-old is one of their targets. But, they are not alone in the race, even Newcastle United want to land him at the club.
Jota came into the limelight after helping Celtic win multiple trophies last season. The Portuguese forward played a key role in their dominance as he contributed with 27 goal contributions in 43 matches. Following his impressive performances there was a lot of interest in his services.
Despite interest from Europe, the 24-year-old decided to join Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad. The SPL club paid a fee of £25 million for his services. But, things haven’t gone according to plan for Jota since making the move.
He has had limited game time because he remains unregistered for domestic action. His last league appearance came back in September 1 before squads were finalised for the ongoing seasons. He has featured in two AFC Champions League games since the player is not happy with the situation.
He and his representatives wanted Al-Ittihad to terminate his contract but the Saudi Pro League club are not keen on it. As a result, the player is looking to part ways in the winter window. And, there is interest in him from Tottenham Hotspur.
Ange Postecoglou has had a great start to life at Spurs but the Australian boss is well aware of the fact that they lack depth. He feels they need a new winger to bolster their attack. Postecoglou is keen on reuniting with Jota after having worked with him during his time at Celtic.
While Spurs are keen on his services, they are not alone in the race for his signatures. They will have to battle it out with Newcastle United. The Magpies recently suffered two huge blows as Jacob Murphy and summer signing Harvey Barnes have picked up long-term injuries.
Their absence will leave a huge void in attack and they do need reinforcement. Newcastle like the profile of Jota and are keen on adding him to their ranks in the winter. And, with the Magpies and Al-Ittihad owned by the PIF, they could land him at the club with ease.
However, Premier League clubs will soon meet to fast-track a ban on clubs signing players on loan from affiliated sides. And, that could prevent Eddie Howe’s team from signing him on a short loan. While they could push to sign him on a permanent basis Spurs are ready to battle it out with them.
