Nottingham Forest's Jota Silva: The Jack Grealish ringer who went from amateur to international football

Before Vitoria de Guimaraes’ comfortable 4-0 win over Maltese side Floriana in a Conference League qualifier on Thursday, a packed Estadio Dom Afonso Henriques got to say a fond farewell to Jota Silva.

The 25-year-old had jumped on a plane back from Nottingham in the hope he would make it back to Guimaraes in time for kick-off. But the winger had to say his goodbyes to the fans who he had forged a fond bond with over the last two years via a pre-recorded video message.

In the stands, young Vitoria fans replicated the goal celebration that has become his trademark, a version of the one made famous by Netherlands international Steven Bergwijn.

Former Tottenham Hotspur winger Bergwijn, now with Ajax, is a player Jota has long admired but he is now hoping to bring his own take on that celebration — one hand placed across his face, with the middle two fingers crossed over each other to form a W shape — back to the Premier League stage with Nottingham Forest.

Jota had plenty of opportunities to give it an outing as he scored 15 times last season, and registered seven assists.

In Portugal, the initial €7million (£5.9m) fee Forest have paid to sign the 25-year-old — who celebrated his birthday on the day he signed a four-year contract at the City Ground — has raised eyebrows. It is perceived as impressive value for money for a Portugal international who was also attracting significant interest from Porto.

Three former Forest players — Nelson Oliveira, Tiago Silva and Cafu — had an intrinsic role in persuading Jota that this was the right move.

Striker Oliveira, who had an impressive loan spell at Forest in 2015-16 when he scored nine goals, played alongside Jota at Vitoria after signing for them in January. Classy midfielder Tiago Silva, who Forest fans were disappointed to see leave after just one season in 2019-20, has been at Vitoria since 2021 and is a key figure, while Cafu, who became a cult figure during Forest’s promotion from the Championship in 2022, started his career at the same club.

Jota consulted them before accepting Forest’s advances and they all told him the same thing: Forest would be the perfect club for him to make his mark on the Premier League.

Head coach Nuno Espirito Santo also staged a charm offensive. Jota was also impressed by the City Ground when he flew over for talks.

“He had been linked with a transfer to Porto, which would have made sense,” says Portuguese journalist Alex Goncalves of TugaScout. “Often, the best talents outside the ‘big four’ — Benfica, Porto, Sporting and Braga — get snapped up by one of those clubs soon after their breakout season.

“This is a guy who has already earned two caps for Portugal and it is nearly impossible for a player outside the big four to even be considered for a call-up.

“He’s an exciting talent. He’s quick. He’s a good dribbler with close control and is strong in one-on-one duels, but his finishing has been such a standout in the most recent campaign. He scored an array of goals, be it on his left or right, and that makes him a real threat.

“At Vitoria, his first season was one of consolidation, so it wouldn’t be a shock if he didn’t hit the ground running but he’s going to be super motivated and working under Nuno will be a major factor in getting the best out of him.”

Jota (second from left) celebrates scoring against Porto in April (Miguel Riopa/AFP via Getty Images)

Jota’s swashbuckling approach and desire to carry the ball and take on defenders — as well as a familiar hairstyle and habit of wearing his socks around his ankles — have earned him the nickname of the ‘Portuguese Jack Grealish’.

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But he is also regarded as being an example for the next generation of Portuguese players of what might be possible.

When Jota left school in Melres, a town near Porto, he was sure he was going to have a career as a professional footballer. He was proven right but it took him longer than he might have anticipated.

His next step was to play for local side Sousense. When he was promoted to their senior side on the first day of training, he suffered a fracture in his leg. This was the only time that Jota’s belief wavered and he had to be persuaded by his family not to give up football.

An opportunity arose for him to play with amateur side Espinho in the Portuguese third division and he flourished before Covid-19 hit and hampered his progress once more, after scoring 14 goals in 25 appearances. Jota finally went professional with Leixoes — a second-tier side — in 2020. The decision to release him from his contract in January 2021 is still regarded as being one of the poorest choices made in the club’s recent history.

He joined Casa Pia, another second-tier side, and the 11 league goals he scored for them in 2021-22 helped them to promotion for the first time in 83 years.

Jota’s first season at Vitoria was modest. He scored twice in 30 appearances but after three months of last season, Vitoria were on their third head coach of the campaign, with Alvaro Pacheco appointed in October to succeed Moreno and Paulo Turra.

“Pacheco, a hugely respected coach who earned admiration for the work he did at (second-tier) Vizela, was a major factor in Jota’s sensational season,” adds Goncalves.

“He’d shown sparks of brilliance in his Guimaraes career but he really took an upturn in performance level after the arrival of Pacheco.”

Last season, Jota was voted player of the month, an award chosen by by his follow players and managers, three times.

Rui Borges, who took charge of Vitoria in May to replace Pacheco, believes Jota has earned his opportunity.

“He’s a big example. There’ll be more players like Jota,” says Borges. “He’s a special player; different. I’m happy for him. It’s a step that he makes and that he aspires to. He deserves it.”

Jota is Nottingham Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo’s first attacking recruit of the summer (George Wood/Getty Images)

In the meantime, Sousense are planning to mark his rise to prominence by renaming their academy ‘The Academy Jota Silva’, while their old player will get to achieve a childhood dream by playing in the Premier League.

Jota has already hired an English teacher to help him with the language, although he will also get plenty of help in a Forest dressing room where, along with head coach Nuno, numerous players count Portuguese as their first language.

Jota was not at the City Ground for Forest’s goalless draw with Villareal last night after travelling home to collect more of his belongings but he will return to Nottingham tomorrow.

Nuno wanted to see Forest add two wide options to their squad this summer and the club are close to adding another in the form of Ramon Sosa, a Paraguay international, from Argentinian side Talleres, with the final details of a $15million (£11.7m) move expected to be completed any time. Forest are also interested in Brazilian winger Wesley, the 19-year-old from Corinthians.

For now, the Forest head coach is looking forward to working with Jota and says that he will give his countryman time to adapt to his new surroundings.

While he will not get his first game time with Forest until the final friendly of the summer, at Olympiacos on Thursday, Jota’s fitness will not be an issue as Vitoria’s season is already underway, having begun with their two-legged Europa League second qualifying round win over Floriana. Jota scored the only goal as Vitoria won the first leg 1-0 in Malta on July 25.

“His rise is pretty breathtaking — and fairly unexpected, too,” says Goncalves. “He was playing in the lower reaches of the Portuguese pyramid five years ago. It’s a real feel-good story for any player at the humble beginnings of their own careers.”

What Jota and Forest will be excited to discover is where his journey will take him next.

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(Top photo: Jose Manuel Alvarez/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)