What does the future hold for Rocco Vata?…
A first senior appearance for Celtic this season accompanied by a first senior goal in the Hoops has given many fans hope Rocco Vata will commit his future to the club in the near future.
An appearance in a match-day squad has been a long time coming for Vata this season, with the 18-year-old in brilliant form for the Celtic B team. Scoring 12 goals in 15 games in the Lowland League, Vata has been the most prolific player in the B team, starring alongside Daniel Kelly and Mitchel Frame in what has been a disappointing season for the young Hoops so far, with Stephen McManus’ and Darren O’Dea’s side sitting eight in the table.
Rocco Vata was expected to leave the club this month after failing to feature in a single match-day squad since Brendan Rodgers joined the club (prior to last weekend), with no contract reported to have been offered to the player.
Fabrizio Romano confirmed fears of a departure from the club for Vata last week, with Como reportedly contacting Celtic over the player, and fellow Italian side Bologna also understood to be interested in the Irish u21 international.
🔵🇮🇪 Excl: Celtic have been approached by Italian side Como FC for Irish talent Rocco Vata.
Bologna are keen on signing him as revealed last week but Como can offer different kind of project and guaranteed game time. Talks will follow soon. pic.twitter.com/ZmVUWb5bII
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 15, 2024
However, Celtic’s stance on Vata’s situation seems to have changed over the last couple of days, with Anthony Joseph of Sky Sports reporting last Friday that the club are planning new contract talks with the Irishman.
Joseph also reported that the club remain open to offers, but intend to open talks about the possibility of extending his stay beyond the summer.
UPDATE: Celtic are planning new contract talks with forward Rocco Vata.
His current deal expires in the summer and he’s in talks with Bologna & Como.
The Hoops remain open to offers but would like to open talks about the possibility of extending his stay beyond the summer. https://t.co/p4zCpGrZJJ pic.twitter.com/7wQrnc0uLv
— Anthony Joseph (@AnthonyRJoseph) January 19, 2024
With a first appearance in a Brendan Rodgers match-day squad, along with a first senior goal, the tide around Vata seems to be changing.
A maiden place in the Celtic squad this season should be the minimum for Vata going forward, if the club wish for the player to commit his future in the East End of Glasgow. Rocco has been at Celtic since he was an 8 year-old and his lifetime ambition has always been to play for Celtic.
While it looked like that his Celtic dream was fading there’s now a chance of a fairytale just about to begin.
James French
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The make up of Scottish football doesn’t help in the development of our youngsters coming through. We can point fingers at the board at Celtic as much as we like, but the fact is that the SFA do nothing to offer these youngsters opportunities which drives them south and even further afield.
Cases in point, Ben Doak, Billy Gilmour, probably two of the brightest talents Scottish football has produced in recent seasons, had to leave their boyhood clubs, not because they wanted to, but because they knew if they had to make a career for themselves in the game, they HAD TO! There are no opportunities in Scotland.