- Jan 6, 2013
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Tottenham Hotspur bid to sign Jota on loan from Saudi Pro League
Ange Postecoglou wants reunion with forward he managed at Celtic after injuries to Manor Solomon and Ivan Perisic

Tottenham Hotspur bid to sign Jota on loan from Saudi Pro League
Ange Postecoglou wants reunion with forward he managed at Celtic after injuries to Manor Solomon and Ivan PerisicTottenham Hotspur have stepped up their interest in Jota, which would reunite the left winger with his former manager at Celtic, Ange Postecoglou.
While the north London club’s priority is to bring in a centre back when the January transfer window opens, they have also been looking for short-term cover on the wing after lengthy injuries to Manor Solomon and Ivan Perisic.
Jota, 24, is available on loan as he has been ineligible to play for Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League because of a rule limiting clubs to having eight foreign players. The most recent of his five substitute appearances in the domestic league was in September, although he has been able to play twice in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League in the past two months.
Al-Ittihad paid up to £25 million to sign him from Celtic in July before they brought in Fabinho from Liverpool and Luiz Felipe from Real Betis to join a
squad that already included Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kanté. The club are fourth in the league and top of their AFC Champions League group.
Jota became a key fixture in the Celtic team during two seasons working under Postecoglou, scoring 28 and assisting 26 goals across all competitions. He initially joined the Scottish club on loan before they triggered his £6.5 million buyout clause from Benfica at the start of last season.
His unpredictability and goal contributions helped to make him a favourite with the Celtic supporters. He has played for Portugal Under-21 but has not yet been capped at senior level, having been cut from the provisional 36-man squad for the World Cup finals last year.
Perisic is out for the rest of the season with a serious knee injury and Solomon will be absent until the turn of the year after having knee surgery.
Tottenham, who have lost three games in a row and fallen from top to fifth in the Premier League table after being hit hard by injuries and suspensions, will also attempt to shift fringe players in January, including the midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg. They have retained an interest in signing Lloyd Kelly after Bournemouth rejected an offer for the 25-year-old centre back in the summer. However, Bournemouth have shown that they are willing to let players leave as free agents if necessary, and his deal expires this summer.