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Celtic's 'new winter signing' gets closer: Zoom calls, the hard yards and timeline Portuguese winger is getting closer to a return - and he will be like a new signing for Celtic Talk of new signings are all the rage at Celtic right now, with supporters desperate for recruits to come in this month. There has been angst and sometimes anger within the Parkhead fanbase as to the pace of Celtic’s transfer business and while it won’t come as much solace, a fresh face is in the building already, hoping to play his part during the winter months. Okay, fresh face is perhaps stretching the truth because winger Jota is well-known to the Celtic faithful. But he hasn’t been spotted in action since April last year when he ruptured his cruciate ligament against Dundee United at Tannadice. The long road back has been full of potholes for Jota. That is why the Portuguese’s appearance at training on Friday was such a welcome development for all concerned at Celtic. Don’t expect him back imminently, however. The prognosis of a Hallowe’en return remains in place for the 27-year-old, who will need to be carefully managed over the next few months. Nevertheless, there is finally light at the end of the tunnel. Celtic assistant coach Shaun Maloney, who is holding the fort while manager Martin O’Neill recovers from a “minor procedure”, has experience of what Jota is going through. He tore his own ACL as a player in 2004 and had to make an arduous but successful return to action. “I think his has been a bit more complicated,” Maloney said of Jota’s injury in comparison to his own. “It's been a fair amount of time. He's had a really difficult time, but I think the last couple of weeks have been really positive. “I think for Jota himself, I wouldn't want to stop any sort of positivity because it has been that difficult for him. I think it's just really slowly building him into training. Today he did every drill, but not every drill was contact. “So, it worked out for him. He's still going to be a good few weeks, not two or three. It's a matter of weeks for him to build up, get into training, full contact. “But it is really positive. I know it's positive for the boy, it's positive for us and obviously his support. I've never worked with him, but when I've watched him, he is very, very good. “On that left side, when Jota comes back, you then have Jota, (Seb) Tounekti and Yang (Hyun-jun). Yang obviously played there in the last game. When Jota's fit, we're really good.” The support network for Jota Jota’s journey from a stretcher on Tayside to now has a pretty tortuous 16 months. Patience has been required. Consoling, too. The support has been vast to help a player who has provided so many memorable moments in the past and is capable of doing so again. Maloney has played his part but was keen to point out the role of a wider network. “There's probably some of the other staff as well,” explained Maloney. “Obviously, Brendan [Rodgers] and his staff picked up the start of that. The medical team are really important. As can happen in longer injuries, he's got a really good connection with the physios. “They're probably the more important than us. I think constant communication with them has probably helped. I think we've all been on Zooms with him when he's been doing his rehab in Portugal. “Fozzy [Mark Fotheringham] is the most positive guy in the world. He's been really, really good with him. But also Martin. Martin's been really, really good with him in terms of constantly being in communication. “That's all peripheral stuff. I think the main guys that he's relied on is the physical and the medical team. The medical team and him have really been inseparable. They have to take any sort of credit rather than us - every week or once a fortnight speaking to him. “These guys have been on daily communication with him.” Maloney was asked directly if Jota can be the same player he was when hit the ground running at Celtic four years ago. “Yeah, definitely,” he responded. “It might take a bit of time, but time and hard work. He's definitely putting in the hours. He looks really strong. Yeah, he's got every chance. “I think I said in another interview that Cameron (Carter-Vickers) had a really bad injury. He was out for eight or nine months, but he had the full pre-season. So, we'll have to try and do something similar with Jota to give him the best chance that when he comes back, he's the player that you guys will have all watched numerous times. There's absolutely no doubt that he can do it.” Celtic haven’t set a fixed date for Jota’s return but Hallowe’en does not appear overly ambitious. Maloney went into detail about what comes next for the former Benfica man, who once commanded a £25 million fee when moving to Al-Ittihad. “There is a fair bit to this,” added Maloney. “It’s one thing coming back to training this week with no contact. Then you have to become free in the next few weeks and build up that tolerance to it. We then have to create friendlies for him too. By the time you see him on the pitch for the first team, there will have been a few hurdles to get over. “Hallowe’en or November might not be a million miles away. I would hope that it’s earlier for the guy’s sake, but I’m not really sure when it will be. Hopefully it will be quicker because he has accelerated in the last few weeks but I’m not really sure.” Celtic fans have learned to be patient. With Jota, everyone hopes the long wait will be worth it. His return will be like a new signing. Comments Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.