It’s reported that scouts from Milan, Bologna, and Atalanta were present as Celtic’s young talent Vata excelled for his national team. The forward scored three goals in the second half as Ireland’s youth team secured a comfortable 7-0 victory over San Marino.
According to The Daily Record, Milan closely monitored Vata during the match, with several Serie A clubs interested in acquiring the Celtic prodigy. Bologna has been linked with Vata for a while, and Serie B clubs Sampdoria and Como have also shown active interest in the 18-year-old.
Additionally, English Championship club Watford is reportedly interested, with ongoing discussions between Vata’s representatives and the club.
However, Celtic is keen on retaining Vata and extending his current contract beyond the upcoming summer. If Vata decides to move on, Celtic would receive approximately £400,000 in compensation.
Nevertheless, Celtic’s management has offered a contract extension until 2027 in an effort to keep the young talent in Glasgow. When asked about Vata’s future at Celtic in January, Brendan Rodgers commented, “That will be up to him. He’s a talent. It depends on his mentality and his representatives’ approach. Some young players, if they’re not starting in the first team, may not want to stay. In that case, it’s better for them to leave because they have to earn their place.”
Rodgers emphasized that while Vata is only 18 years old, not every player needs to be fully developed at that age unless they possess extraordinary talent. However, he acknowledged Vata’s potential and suggested that Celtic could be an excellent environment for his development.