The new Jota: Celtic open talks to seal their first post-Nancy signing
Celtic are still waiting for Jota to return from his ACL injury that was initially predicted to keep him out for up to nine months, which would have him on course to return in February.
The Portuguese forward’s absence has been felt at Parkhead because the other wingers at the club have failed to deliver the kind of consistency or quality that he can produce.
He has racked up 33 goals and 28 assists in 99 appearances for Celtic in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, which includes four goals and two assists in seven starts in the Scottish Premiership last season.
Amazingly, Hyun-jun Yang, James Forrest, Michel-Ange Balikwisha, and Sebastian Tounekti have all failed to provide at least one goal and one assist, with either one or two goals or one or two assists each.
Celtic in talks to sign new wingers
It is not a surprise, therefore, to learn that the Scottish Premiership champions are looking to add to their options in the wide areas ahead of the second half of the season.
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According to Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph, Celtic have made an offer of £2m to sign Maccabi Netanya winger Jocelin Ta Bi in the January transfer window.
The Hoops are in talks with the Israeli side to strike a deal for the 20-year-old talent, and have now made their move for his services with an official offer, despite the fact that they have parted ways with manager Wilfried Nancy this week.
Joseph adds that the Ivorian forward is currently on loan at Hapoel Petah Tikva, a fellow Israeli side, and that they expect to lose the player this month, with his loan deal expected to be cut short so that he can seal a permanent transfer elsewhere.
However, the Sky Sports journalist does not reveal whether or not the £2m bid made by Wilfried Nancy’s team will be enough to convince Maccabi Netanya to part ways with him.
Why Ta Bi could be Celtic's new Jota
After six losses in eight games under Nancy prior to his departure, including a League Cup final defeat and a 3-1 loss to Rangers, supporters may not be overly excited about the signing of a 20-year-old prospect, particularly one who is currently out injured for another two weeks.
However, Celtic have to focus on the mid to long-term, as well as the short-term, and Ta Bi is a potential signing that could see the Hoops have their next Jota in the building.
As aforementioned, none of Celtic’s other wing options this season have shown that they have the quality to both score and assist goals in equal measure, as Jota has done throughout his two spells at Parkhead.
Ta Bi, who was described as an “interesting” player by Turkish analyst Harun Gunduz, has shown some promise in his performances in the Israeli Premier League on loan at Hapoel Petah Tikva.
He also scored five goals and provided three assists in 27 appearances in the second tier for Hapoel Petah Tikva, per Transfermarkt, in the 2024/25 campaign.
25/26 Israeli PL
Ta Bi
Apperances
12
Goals
2
Big chances created
5
Key passes per game
1.3
Assists
2
Successful dribbles per game
3.2
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Ta Bi has adjusted well to the step up to the top-flight this season, with four goal contributions in 12 appearances to date.
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These statistics show that he can score and create goals in equal measure, even if not at an incredible rate yet, whilst he can also consistently get past his marker with successful dribbles, much like Jota.
Ta Bi has more combined goals and assists than Balikwisha, Tounekti, Yang, and Forest at league level, per WhoScored, and this suggests that he could have an immediate impact on the team if he can translate his performances over to Scottish football.
Whilst his numbers do not suggest that he will be an instant superstar in Glasgow, the return of Jota later this season means that he will be able to learn from the Portuguese winger and be his understudy until he is ready to be the main man at Parkhead.
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Therefore, Celtic could hit the jackpot by signing this impressive young talent for the mid to long-term as their next Jota, even if he may not be the most exciting addition with the current campaign in mind, due to his injury, age, and inexperience.