Fabrizio Romano’s update on Celtic’s ongoing transfer talks

With just over a week until the end of Rocco Vata’s contract at Celtic there is no news whatsoever on any progress with the talks between his advisors and the club about signing a new contract.

That repeatedly has been the message that has been put forward by Rocco’s dad, the former Celtic defender Rudi Vata, who has always indicated that the preference is to remain at Celtic while keeping the door open for a move elsewhere, amid significant interest from both Italy and England.

Fabrizio Romano, the Italian journalist who gets the inside track on so many deals that are being discussed in the transfer windows, yesterday posted an update on the Rocco Vata situation.

He stated: ‘Watford have opened talks to sign Ireland U21 international forward Rocco Vata. 2005 born talent has also received new contract proposal from Celtic, no deal in place yet but talks still on.

Bologna, Como and (Nottingham) Forest already had proposals rejected for Vata.’

So three clubs have tried and failed to lure Vata, perhaps they will come back with improved proposals? Watford have entered the fray and Celtic talks are on going.

It’s a transfer saga that has dragged on and on and hopefully will be resolved one way of the other next week.

Incidentally Rudi Vata’s new book Football, Freedom and Paradise! is published at the end of next month. It’s a the fascinating and inspirational autobiography of a former footballer, a man who overcame state oppression to attain the most basic of human necessities – his freedom.

Born in Albania in 1969, he was raised under the oppressive communist dictatorship that ruled the country for decades. In a regime that curtailed all the basic freedoms of civilised society, Rudi determined that, ‘You do not choose to be born under a dictatorship, but you choose whether to live under it.’

Rudi devoted himself to football – the sport that would provide his road to freedom and self-determination. After playing for his country in France in 1991, he defected and sought political asylum. Thus began the adventure that would take him around the world to play the beautiful game, most notably in a successful spell at Celtic, and live as a free man.

This is not just a football story – it’s the tale of a man who fought for his freedom, and who to this day never takes that freedom for granted.

Hopefully Rocco will get his deal signed with Celtic in the next week or so but if he opts to go elsewhere then exercising his freedom to choose is something that his dad was denied at his age.  If it’s Watford or Celtic then surely he’s going to choose to stay at the club he supports?