Aston Villa midfielder Jota rejected loan moves to the likes of Nottingham Forest, Fulham and Celtic in January, according to reports from The Athletic.

Jota was a standout player in the Championship for Birmingham City in 2018/19, scoring three goals and registering nine assists before leaving for Aston Villa in the summer.

The 29-year-old has since found game time hard to come by under Dean Smith, making only nine Premier League appearances this season with only four of those coming from the off.

Do these 11 celebrities support Nottingham Forest?

 

There was a chance for Jota to leave Villa Park on loan in January, according to The Athletic, with Fulham, Celtic and Nottingham Forest all said to have been keen on acquiring the winger's services.

But Jota turned down the chance to depart on loan, despite Fulham and Forest both fighting for promotion in the Sky Bet Championship, and Celtic on the verge of another league title win.

Jota has featured only once for Villa since turning down a loan move away in January, making an appearance in the 2-1 home defeat to Chelsea in late June.

The Verdict

Jota could have been an excellent signing for both Fulham and Forest, but I think Forest needed him the most.

They bid farewell to Albert Adomah in January, with the winger joining Cardiff on loan, and Adama Diakhaby has failed to make an impact since joining on loan from Huddersfield.

A tricky, inverted winger like Jota could have really suited Sabri Lamouchi's style of play, but fair play to him for wanting to fight for a place at Villa.