Celtic face competition from Watford for the signature of top Academy talent Rocco Vata, whose current Celtic deal runs out at the end of the season. Amid interest from several Italian clubs in the January transfer window, Celtic, on a better late than never basis, finally got round to opening contract negotiations with Rudi Vata’s son.
Deal on the table
The club have offered the player a new deal running through to the summer of 2027 but there’s still no sign of pen being put to paper.
Those appear to have stalled and now, according to a report in The Athletic, Watford are interested in signing the Republic of Ireland forward, which would leave Celtic with no more that a small development fee of just over £200k. That’s not very much a player who has been at Celtic since he was 8 years-old.
First team pathway
The 18-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season, with a host of clubs said to be monitoring his situation at Celtic, where the problem appears to remain as before – the pathway to first team football under Brendan Rodgers.
Intriguingly, recent controversial developments at Celtic with the two-match suspension disgracefully imposed on Yang after Celtic’s appeal against the John Beaton inspired sending off at Tynecastle on Sunday, may actually open the door for Rocco to get some game time. Then it’s up to him to force his way into the manager’s thoughts.
Opportunity knocks
Don’t be too surprised if Vata is given his opportunity to impress from the start this weekend against Livingston in the quarter-final of the Scottish Cup.
Rocco played in the previous round against Buckie Thistle where scored his first senior goal for Celtic.
After that game, Brendan Rodgers said as reported by The Celtic Star: “I like Rocco. He has qualities. He is strong, aggressive and from 25 yards in he wants to get goals.
You can see even when he came on he got his goal and he had a few other opportunities. That’s good for him, he got a taste for it.”
Development fee
If Watford were to forge ahead with a deal, then the championship club would be made to pay Celtic just £239,000 in player development compensation.
