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Dean Smith says Brentford have had no contact from Glasgow Rangers regarding Jota

Rangers manager Mark Warburton (Reuters)
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Rangers boss Mark Warburton is said to be eyeing an Ibrox reunion with the player he brought to west London.

Brentford manager Dean Smith has told Get West London there has been no contact from Glasgow Rangers regarding Bees attacking midfielder Jota.

The 25-year-old is set to enter the final half-season of an 18-month loan to La Liga side Eibar, for whom he has barely featured this season.

The Scottish Sun reported this week that the Basque outfit are ready to cut short Jota’s deal, allowing Rangers manager Mark Warburton – who brought the Spaniard to London initially – to set up a reunion at Ibrox.

Brentford's Jota Peleteiro celebrates scoring their fourth goalBrentford’s Jota Peleteiro

And according to the Daily Record, Warburton has even flown to Spain to discuss a deal with Jota in person.

Smith, however, does not believe the Rangers boss would do so without going through Brentford first, and says there is no decision yet regarding his player’s future.

“We keep in contact with Jota, who isn’t having as much game time as he’d like to and we would like him to,” he said. “It’s only been a conversation so far.

“I know we’ve had no contact from Rangers. He’s our player and they’d have to come through us first.”

Smith added: “I’m sure that [Warburton’s alleged visit] is just speculation. I’m not sure Mark would go out there to speak to one of our players. They would have to contact us to speak to one of our players for sure.”

Jota scored 11 Championship goals in his one season under Warburton but picked up an injury at the start of last season, before requesting a return to his homeland in January due to homesickness.

Rangers manager Mark WarburtonRangers manager Mark Warburton

Rangers are without Niko Kranjcar for the rest of the season and Jota, who extended his Bees contract until 2018 earlier this year, could fill the Croatian’s boots in the meantime.