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Shaun Maloney believes Celtic are well covered on the left wing once Jota returns to full fitness, offering an insight into the club’s thinking as the transfer window enters its final weeks. With much of the focus on strengthening the right side of the attack, Maloney suggested the coaching staff are satisfied with the options available on the opposite flank. Speaking about the balance of the squad, he said: “You then have Jota, Sebastian Tounekti and Hyun-jun Yang. Yang obviously played there in the last game. I really like Yang off the left. Yeah, it’s really strong.” [TCW] There is, however, one significant caveat. Jota is not expected back until late October, provided there are no setbacks in his recovery from the serious knee injury that has sidelined him for well over a year. Even then, the Portuguese winger is unlikely to be thrown straight back into the starting XI. After an absence of around 18 months, he will need time to rebuild his match fitness and sharpness before returning to the level Celtic supporters know he can reach. That means Martin O’Neill will still have to navigate a sizeable chunk of the season without one of his most influential attacking players. Yang has impressed operating from the left, while Tounekti is capable of playing there, but neither offers quite the same proven quality that Jota brings. It perhaps explains why Celtic continue to monitor the market. FC Utrecht winger Adrian Blake is among the names on the club’s shortlist, reports have suggested. The highly-rated winger primarily operates on the left and is viewed as a player with significant potential. Whether Celtic decide to formalise their interest is another matter. With the club prioritising a right winger and continuing to pursue Haissem Hassan, a move for another left-sided attacker may depend on how confident they are in Jota’s recovery and the development of Yang and Tounekti over the coming months. The coaching staff clearly believe the left flank will become one of Celtic’s strongest positions once Jota is back in contention. The challenge is bridging the gap until then.