Four Year Deal Agreed – Parkhead Exit Imminent

Rocco Vata has agreed to a four-year deal with Watford, marking the end of his young Celtic career.

The development comes after much speculation and interest from various clubs, particularly in Italy and the English Championship. Vata, who made six first-team appearances for Celtic, is now set to officially sign with Watford in the coming days. [Sky Sports]

The 19-year-old midfielder has taken the decision to leave Celtic following extensive talks with Watford. The young Republic of Ireland U23 international has already visited Watford’s training facilities, solidifying his decision to join the club.

While Celtic supporters may feel a sense of loss seeing a promising talent depart, the club will receive mandatory compensation for Vata’s development. As he is a product of the Hoops’ youth academy, Celtic is entitled to £237,000 in training compensation. This sum acknowledges the club’s role in nurturing Vata’s growth and development over the years.

For many Hoops fans, Vata’s departure felt inevitable. The opportunity for regular playing time and further development at Watford proved to be a decisive factor in his decision.

It speaks to young players wanting too much too soon and while Vata showed promise, he didn’t do enough last season to be more than a small blip on Brendan Rodgers’ radar. While it feels like we’re losing another young talent, there is a consensus Celtic did offer Rocco decent terms to stay but would not match what Watford were offering him.