Rennes in Talks to Sign Jota from Saudi Arabian Club
Stade Rennais are reportedly in discussions with Al-Ittihad, a club in the Saudi Pro League, to sign Portuguese winger Jota, according to a report in *Ouest-France*. The 25-year-old joined the Jeddah-based club last year from Celtic FC in a deal worth â¬29 million.
French football journalist Mohamed Toubache-Ter previously reported that Rennes were interested in offering Jota a return to European football. *Ouest-France
suggests that Jota could be on his way out of Al-Ittihad after a challenging debut season in Saudi Arabia. The versatile winger scored five goals and registered one assist in 25 appearances for Al-Ittihad.
While Rennes' interest in Jota is genuine, the report notes that securing his signature would be a difficult task. This is due to the player's high wages and Al-Ittihad's valuation of him.
Rennes started their Ligue 1 campaign with a resounding 3-0 victory over Olympique Lyonnais at home. Julien Stéphan's side face RC Strasbourg this Sunday.
The signing of Jota would be a significant coup for Rennes. The Portuguese winger is a proven goalscorer and playmaker, and his arrival would add further firepower to a Rennes side already boasting impressive attacking talents. However, it remains to be seen whether the Breton club can negotiate a deal that satisfies both Jota and Al-Ittihad.
