Steven Gerrard has reportedly abandoned his pursuit to secure the services of the out-of-favor Jota for Al-Ettifaq.

The ex-Rangers manager, who was previously eyeing the Portuguese player stuck on the fringes at Al-Ittihad following his departure from Celtic in a £25 million transfer last year, seems to have backed off. Reports from Saudi suggest that Ittihad officials are open to offers for the playmaker, and there are rumors in their local media hinting at a possible move by Brendan Rodgers to bring him back to Scotland.

Not only Gerrard’s team in the SPL but other clubs have shown interest in the attacker who did not feature in the foreign players list last season. However, recent reports suggest that Gerrard’s club has decided to pull out of the race, leaving Ittihad awaiting other interested parties to take the player off their hands.

Jota, aged 25, stood out during his time in Glasgow, amassing 83 appearances with an impressive record of 28 goals and 23 assists under Ange Postecoglou’s tenure.