Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo has been criticised over a transfer at former club Al-Ittihad.
Nuno signed Jota from Celtic for £25m in July 2023 when he was in charge of the Saudi Pro League club. But the Portuguese forward hardly played before Nuno was sacked four months later and replaced by Marcelo Gallardo.
Jota went on to score just five goals in 29 games for Al-Ittihad, prompting speculation he would leave the club this summer and possibly return to Celtic. But Saudi Arabia’s sports minister has confirmed the player will stay at Al-Ittihad as he blamed Nuno for his terrible first season.
“Former coach Nuno Santo was the one who requested Jota after a letter reached the recruitment committee,” said Saudi chief Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Saud. “But when you contract a player you want from your budget and he does not play, this gives us the impression that there is an administrative error that can be fixed.
Ittihad’s management informed the player recruitment program that it does not want any new foreign player and will continue with Grohe, Kante, Jota, Benzema, Hamdallah, Coronado, Romarinho, Hegazy next season.”
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