Promising winger looks set to leave Celtic in January window

Rocco Vata looking likely to leave, it’s unfortunate but we move on…

Hibernian v Celtic – Rocco Vata during the cinch Premiership match at Easter Road on Wednesday December 28, 2022. Photo Malcolm Mackenzie

Promising Celtic youngster Rocco Vata is looking ever more likely to depart the club in this window, with the ever reliable Fabrizio Romano reporting that Serie A side Bologna are heavily interested and talks are expected soon.

Then would be a shame as he’s highly rated and to lose him would be a bit of a blow, but the club’s hands are tied if Rocco has decided against signing a new contract, and for once you can’t point the blame at them if that is correct.

That certainly was the narrative earlier in the season although that has been disputed initially by The Celtic Star’s Editor and more recently by Anthony Joseph at Sky Sports who had earlier reported that Vata had indeed rejected a new offer from Celtic to then report that he now understands that no such contract has ever been put on the table by Celtic.

Celtic v Motherwell – cinch Premiership – Celtic Park Celtics Rocco Vata during the cinch Premiership match at Celtic Park, Glasgow. Picture date: Saturday April 22, 2023. Photo Steve Welsh

James French writing on this subject just last night on The Celtic Star called it a Celtic’s Rocco Vata Mystery.

Maybe Rocco did knocked back a new deal or maybe Celtic decided not to offer him a contract extension, either way this news of an imminent Celtic exit for Vata has been on the cards for a while. It’s also understandable that the youngster sees his future elsewhere as he’s not had a sniff of first team opportunity, whether that was under Ange Postecoglou or currently Brendan Rodgers.

Vata was training with the first team at the end of last season but was sent back to the B Team at the start of this season, presumably as Brendan Rodgers had so many first team squad players to work with.

Vata does look promising and has turned in some decent displays for the B team, both in the Lowland League and the UEFA youth league and has also shown up well for Ireland U21s and for the Celtic first team in his limited appearances.

But doing it for the B Team and doing at first team level are two totally different things. Ange Postecoglou and Brendan Rodgers must be of the same thinking that he’s not quite ready for first team action, and you’ve got to trust their judgement.

Celtic v Motherwell – Rocco Vata during the cinch Premiership match at Celtic Park on Saturday April 22, 2023. Photo Steve Welsh

Especially this season when injury problems have hit us hard, the Irish youth international still can’t get game time. That maybe tells its own story.

That doesn’t say that Rocco can’t make a decent career in the game, and a move to Bologna could be the making of him in the same way it has for a lot of other young players who have left this country for Serie A in recent times.

Whatever the future holds for young Rocco, we should wish him all the best.

Just an Ordinary Bhoy

🔴🔵🇮🇪 Excl: Bologna are interested in Celtic 18 year old talent Rocco Vata as potential opportunity for the January transfer window.

Talks expected to take place soon and more will follow as interest in Irish talent is now growing. pic.twitter.com/9Yod8p4nt9

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 8, 2024