Brendan Rodgers has recalled Republic of Ireland winger, Rocco Vata, back into the Celtic first-team. The player had been on pre-season with Celtic during their trips to Portugal and then Japan but Rocco was sent back to the Celtic B side when the season started in earnest.
There has been a lot of speculation surrounding Rocco’s future and had even been reported that he could leave permanently this summer.
Team’s in Italy and Belgium are said to be monitoring the attacker, as well as Barry Robson’s Aberdeen. The potential of Rocco is plain for all to see and with not long left on his contract, they are beginning to circle the Hoops youngster with a view to taking him away from Celtic Park to play a higher level of football than is currently on offer to him in the Lowland League with Celtic B.
Now it is being reported that Rodgers has moved to promote Vata back into the first-team fold, with his form of late being quite superb. The winger turned striker has scored six goals in five games during his time with the Celtic Development squad, and the Daily Record has revealed that it has prompted his fellow Irishman to make the move and bring him back into the fold moving forward.
In truth, the Celtic supporters have been dying for Rocco to be included in the first-team regularly to avoid losing another one of our tremendous home grown talents, following a consistent hemorrhaging of youth players for the last several years now. It couldn’t have come at a better time either, with the Bhoys struggling creatively as was proven at Rugby Park last Sunday. This could prove to kill two birds with the one stone.
Paul Gillespie
