Rocco Vata

Celtic have begun contract talks for forward Rocco Vata.

It’s understood the club’s hierarchy have opened discussions with the 18-year-old’s representatives at CAA Base to discuss the possibility of extending his stay in Glasgow.

Vata came on as a substitute and scored in Celtic’s 5-0 Scottish Cup win over Buckie Thistle on Sunday.

The Ireland U21 international has been back training with the first team again this week and is believed to be keen on staying with the Hoops.

Vata is out of contract in the summer and has held talks with Bologna and Como this month.

 

A lot of negativity about this on Twitter (I know, I know) because people think it’ll be presented as “as good as a new signing” in lieu of actual signings but I can only see this as a good thing. A really talented young player tied down and presumably shown a pathway to first team football that wasn’t previously available (which would also be great for our other young players). Fingers crossed.

 

He’s playing at level he should be scoring regularly that’s the point people don’t see. His dad’s interview is interesting saying he doesn’t think he’s ready etc only 18 not sure what’s fully going on with him.

Talented no doubt about it different playing that level to SPL level, sign a new contract then loan him out in our league similar to Kwon then we can fully judge him better

 

I feel for the guy a bit as we clearly don't seem to have much of a development plan to get him to a level where he can contribute to the first team. Playing in the lowland league doesn't prepare you for the SPFL, but if he isn't starting home to buckie or ross county with Oh away, he is going to be starting soon. But then we don't seem to want to send him on loan to get senior team experience either.

It feels like we should have tied up his contract before now and committed to getting the guy some first team football somewhere. He is maybe a good example as to why the B team set up is not working

 

No idea if he will prove good enough or not but based on the fact it looks like Abada May be off, I know Forrest (now) and MJ aren’t good enough and Yang looks better of the left for a cameo but isn’t at a level to start.

I would prefer having Vata on the bench to them for a few games to see what he has. He can also play wide or down the middle, looked to have decent pace too.

 

Not involved in tonight’s game against Southampton in the PLI cup

 

I reckon he'll sign a new contract soon.

I'm basing this purely on someone claiming they overheard Rudi in the gym changing room earlier today. Fingers crossed.

 

Exit-linked ace Rocco Vata could now spring a surprise and sign a new deal with Celtic after holding talks with other clubs, sources have told Football Insider.

Speaking to the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track Podcast, transfer correspondent Pete O’Rourke revealed that contract talks are ongoing with the 18-year-old and the Hoops are hopeful he will pen new terms after making progress in the last 48 hours.



As revealed by Football Insider last week (17 January), Sampdoria, Bologna and Como had been in a race to sign Vata, whose current deal expires at the end of the season


However, Celtic are now close to agreeing a new deal with Vata despite granting him permission to leave the club this month.

The club knocked back multiple offers for the attacker in the summer after he bagged 11 goals in 22 appearances for the B team.

He scored the fifth goal in the Hoops’ recent 5-0 thrashing of fifth-tier side Buckie Thistle in the Scottish Cup on Sunday (21 January) – his fifth senior appearance for the club since his debut in December 2022.


Vata hadn’t made a senior appearance or made the matchday squad this season before the cup clash, but has continued to be prolific for the B team.

Across 22 outings for the reserve side, he has scored 13 goals in the centre-forward and attacking midfield positions.

He is highly regarded at Celtic and has received numerous call-ups to the Republic of Ireland youth sides, making his last appearance in a European Championship qualifier against Belgium for the under-19s in November.

 

I’m fully expecting a contract to be signed, just by the fact he’s back in the fold for first team, and his Dad’s making noises about us developing him properly and instilling discipline. After he’s got him opportunities all across Europe, to good clubs as well. If he signs like I’m expecting, we might have played a blinder here. Let him have his big time better than act as a youngster, let his agent Dad who has good links with us to get in contact with other clubs, and by Rudi talking about Rocco being shown discipline for not being professional enough, turning up late etc. and him knuckling down, and realising he has an opportunity here, that Rudi seems to back.

We might have played it perfectly, I didn’t see the outcome of even a sniff of signing at this point happening at all.

 

With the way this window is going I'll believe it when I see it. It would be good news.

Think you are right, but alternatively any player who has more interest from a variety of clubs, including the club they are at, is in a better position to negotiate a better deal.

 

If there wasn’t a chance of him signing, we’d have continued to not involve him, it’s interesting that it’s came about now when he’s been linked to some quite good moves at good levels. And the noises around it all, think its quite far along the process of him signing up.

We still might not get it over the line and the fact he can talk to any club for a bosman makes it easy as well, but I think he’s had a look and decided the grass isn’t greener like many before him who have left and thought the same, but he’s got the opportunity to have a look and realise before jumping ship.

Honestly through all this I’ve been thinking Rudi’s turned his head, he’s a massive agent with some extremely major contacts across Europe, and thought he’s being pimped out. Listening to him talking this week, he’s let his boy talk to others and advised him properly. That doesn’t necessarily mean us, its just advising him how to make sure he makes the most of his talent. Fair play Rudi

 

If he signs an extension, with a buy-out option, that'd be great agent work from his Dad, on both counts... But, I can't see him signing if he's not at least gonna be subbing on... Be interesting to see if this is part of Rodgers talk about developing your own players.

 

He would have been looking on end of last year and this season so far thinking if he nailed down his future to us, rather than making it clear to 2 managers that offered him he didn’t want that from us, he’d have possibly nailed down a place by now. I must back himself over MJ or Yang or an old Jamesy Forrest.

And apparently wasn’t arsed enough to turn up for first team meetings with BR just through the door, and now has a chance. And has hit the gym to be stronger at 18 than he was 6 months ago, he’s shown professionalism, has looked elsewhere and has realised Celtic is an opportunity he has infront of him, wants to sign now and immediately had a chance after presumably proving in training he deserved one.

if he signs on, we’ve played a * blinder here. I wish he signed when Ange gave him the chance to, because he’d be further ahead in development by how this season has went so far, never mind Ange rating him. But he’s 18, its been a small chance missed so he’ll needty make himself another chance he has infront of him.

 

Told us to beat it and can’t blame him. He’s never gonna get a chance here.

 

Has he

 

Rocco Vata has been offered a new four-year deal by Celtic, Football Scotland can reveal.

We understand the 18-year-old has a contract on the table from the Hoops who are still hopeful of tying him down in fresh terms to ward off suitors. Bologna and Como are both among interested parties who have put proposals forward but Celts have delayed accepting any bids until their own efforts have been decided upon



Football Scotland understands both parties are still far apart in negotiations and talks will continue as nothing has been agreed. The player can still sign a pre-contract elsewhere this month with the January window coming to an end on Thursday night.


He has just six months left on his remaining deal and that would allow other clubs in Europe or down south to snap him up on a lesser fee. The compensation package would be worth around £340,000 if he leaves on a free. Como - now playing with riches - would only have to stump up £140k compo as they’re a category three club.




Vata made his first appearance of the season against Buckie where he scored his first goal for the club off the bench.

 

He's away just close this now