Celtic appear to be closing in on the permanent signing of current loanee Jota from Benfica, The Daily Record report.

The Lowdown: Jota spotted in Lisbon

Jota has recently returned to his permanent employers and was spotted at the club’s training complex to assess his hamstring injury.

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The 22-year-old has missed the last seven games prior to the winter break due to injury and was ordered home by Benfica’s medical staff.

Prior to his injury the versatile attacker was in fantastic form and becoming one of Ange Postecoglou's most trusted players, providing 13 direct goal involvements in 16 starts.

Celtic have the option to make the winger’s loan move permanent for a fee of £6.5m, and it seems as if they are going to do just that going off recent reports.

The Latest: Advanced stages

According to A Bola, relayed by The Daily Record, Celtic and Benfica are now in advanced talks over a full-time transfer.

Jota, described as ‘clinical’ by Owen Hargreaves, could become the club’s third permanent attacking addition, with the Hoops already signing Daizen Maeda and close to landing teenager Johnny Kenny from Sligo Rovers in the coming days.

The Verdict: Brilliant news

The Portuguese attacker has been a revelation at Parkhead since joining in the summer, so a permanent switch should be viewed as excellent news. He was in a real purple patch in front of goal prior to his injury, racking up three goals in his last three Premiership games.

The manager is clearly a big fan too, praising the youngster not just for being 'very talented' but also for buying into the system, working hard and pressing from the front.

Jota is still just 22 years of age, so even though the Hoops will need to pay more than his £4.95m Transfermarkt valuation to make him a permanent Celtic player, you’d expect that his market value will surpass the £6.5m mark sooner rather than later due to his displays on the pitch.

It would be the most expensive signing of the Postecoglou era, and over time, it could be viewed as one of the most important.

In other news: Celtic ace could now leave for Italy, find out who it is here