Former Celtic star Jota "would not have hesitated" over a return to the club as he continues to look for a way out of Saudi Arabian champions Al-Ittihad.
The winger has yet to start a league game for the Tigers since joining for £25million in June and appears to no longer be part of Nuno Espirito Santo's plans.
Clubs in Saudi Arabia are only allowed to register eight foreign players in their squad each season and the arrival of defender Luis Felipe from Real Betis takes that number at Al-Ittihad to nine.
And it is now claimed by Al-Ittihad insider Hamed Al-Balawi that Jota and goalkeeper Marcelo Grohe could be dropped from the squad list.
He also states that the 24-year-old would have been keen on a loan return to Parkhead before the window closed in Scotland.
Speaking to Saudi TV program Action Ya Dawry, he said: "The player would not have hesitated to return to Celtic, but cannot choose that option.
"Now we have Fenerbahce. The departure of Grohe is a form of madness. For the team, he is a safety valve.
"The first choice for managing the club must be to find a club for Jota. He is not at the level of ambition."
