Football Scotland is tonight reporting that Celtic and Rocco Vata are still ‘far part’ in negotiations over a new contract.
The teenager is in the final year of the three year deal that he signed when he reached the age of 16, bucking the trend in staying with Celtic while others like Ben Doak and Liam Morrison took up offers from elsewhere despite being given top team access.
Vata made four first team appearances last season as a substitute playing on the wing but during the close season Celtic added three wingers to their squad, topped up by the signing of Nicolas Kuhn this month.
With the B team and in the UEFA Youth League Vata has mainly played as a striker and resurfaced in the first team against Buckie Thistle, coming off the bench to score his first senior goal.
That seemed to suggest that the player was back in the fold but tonight Mark Hendry of Football Scotland revealed:
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.
Vata was an unused substitute against Ross County on Saturday, appearing to be the back up striker to Kyogo Furuhashi while Daizen Maeda and Oh Hyeon-gyu are involved in the Asian Cup.
Despite the interest from Italy it is difficult to imagine Celtic agreeing to a transfer this month with Kyogo the only striker available for a crucial run of three away matches at Aberdeen, Hibs and St Mirren over the course of nine days.
Since breaking the news of Celtic’s interest in signing Alexandro Bernabei from Lanus in June 2022 Hendry has had a strong take on Celtic transfer business.
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