Former Scotland manager Alex McLeish believes that Celtic could find it difficult to fend off interest from Premier League clubs in Jota in the long run.

The Lowdown: Jota thriving at Celtic

The 23-year-old has been a fantastic signing for the Hoops, providing huge amounts of unpredictability and end product in attacking wide areas.

Jota has scored 17 goals and registered 18 assists in 47 Celtic appearances thus far, including four of each in the Premiership so far this season.

The Portuguese winger's performances will likely generate interest from elsewhere, with a move to England potentially happening further down the line.

The Latest: McLeish talks up possible Jota exit

Speaking to Football Insider, McLeish claimed that Jota could be on the move in the near future if a Premier League club comes in for him.

The Sky Sports pundit said:

"Honestly, I couldn’t give that guy any higher praise. He has been a revelation. When I first saw him coming on the scene last season I thought he was a bit fluttery, he looked a little bit lightweight.

"Then you saw the end product over a whole year and a bit now, I can’t believe the Portuguese actually sold him for that price.

"I’m sure that clubs in England will be looking at that player. When Rangers and Celtic are doing well, the manager gets looked at but the players get looked at as well.

"The standout players, Jota is standing out an absolute mile."

The Verdict: Could be a massive loss

Jota has arguably been one of Celtic's best players over the last 12 months or so  - Ange Postecoglou has called him 'unbelievable' - with his aforementioned goal and assist return speaking for itself, while he is their highest-rated player so far this term according to WhoScored metrics.

The thought of him moving on is therefore a huge concern, but the hope is that he remains loyal to the Hoops for a number of years, having only joined permanently in July following an initial loan spell.

It would be short-sighted to expect Jota to be a Celtic player for the rest of his career - at some point, a new challenge could appeal to him - but for now, this is hopefully just the start of his Parkhead adventure.