Bologna have been granted permission by Celtic to speak to forward Rocco Vata and agree terms on a move to Italy, sources have told Football Insider.

The Serie A club are working on a deal to sign the 18-year-old, whose Hoops contract expires in the summer.

The Irish youth international is now eligible for pre-contract talks with clubs outside of Scotland and it is believed Bologna are in pole position to sign him.

Celtic have now given up hopes of keeping the striker, who has knocked back multiple offers to extend his contract with the Glasgow giants.

While Bologna look most likely to sign the Irishman, they face competition for his services from Atalanta, Frosinone and Sampdoria.

Celtic knocked back multiple bids for Vata last summer and now face losing him for a compensation fee of £343,000.

Vata has not made a senior appearance for Brendan Rodgers’ side this season but has bagged 13 goals in 20 appearances in all competitions for their B team.

He emerged as a top talent through the youth system at Parkhead after joining in 2012.

The teenager has earned four senior appearances for the club since he made his debut in December 2022 against Hibernian.

His performances have earned him frequent caps for Ireland’s youth sides, with his last appearance being with the under-19s in a European Championship qualifier against Belgium in November.

Vata, the son of former Celtic and Albania defender Rudi Vata, has played as a centre-forward and an attacking midfielder for the Hoops this season.

Celtic sit top of the league during the winter break after their 3-0 win against St Mirren and next face Buckie Thistle in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup on 21 January.

Italian Serie A side Bologna are expected to hold talks to sign Celtic talent Rocco Vata soon, according to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The Celtic starlet, who is out of contract at the Bhoys in the summer, has attracted strong attention from Italy.

Atalanta recently hit the accelerator in their bid to snap up Vata, while Torino, Frosinone and Sampdoria are all admirers of the 18-year-old.

Now Bologna have also joined the mix to land Vata and they will open talks to secure his services soon.

Bologna see Vata as a good opportunity this month, but they look set to have to do battle for his signature as it is claimed interest in him is only growing.

How much money might be put on the table for the Celtic starlet is unclear, but Atalanta have been looking at an operation worth €400,000.

Vata has been in good form for Celtic’s B team in the Lowland League, while he has also turned out in the UEFA Youth League.

His future now looks set to be away from Celtic Park and the increasing indications are it could be in Italy.

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Celtic and Rangers are showing interest in Leeds United attacker Joe Gelhardt, who has been tipped to exit Elland Road this month, according to the Daily Record.

Gelhardt has lacked game time for Leeds United this season, managing only 169 minutes in the Championship under Daniel Farke so far. 

His only goal of the season came in the EFL Cup back in August last year and he is being linked with a move away in search of regular first-team action.

A loan deal in January is being mooted and the 21-year-old has interest from north of the border.

Celtic want to make sure they are more ruthless in the final third and appear to be interested in signing Gelhardt.

Their rivals Rangers have also been linked with making moves this month and the 21-year-old is one being considered.

It now remains to be seen whether they knock at Leeds’ door looking for the player this month or wait until the summer.

Gelhardt signed a long-term contract with Leeds in August last year and is set to stay at the club until 2027.

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Celtic are among the sides monitoring the situation of frozen-out Nottingham Forest defender Scott McKenna this month, sources have told Football Insider.

The Hoops have a few defensive injuries and could dip into the transfer market to add a new option to their ranks.

Football Insider revealed on Monday (1 January) that all signs now point to McKenna leaving Nottingham Forest this year after a bust-up with the club’s owners.

The 27-year-old has just six months remaining on his contract and January is likely to be Forest’s last chance to cash in on the defender.

McKenna was frozen out of the Forest squad after a contract dispute between the defender’s agent and the club hierarchy led by Evangelos Marinakis and his son Miltiadis.

Celtic could now land the Scotland international for a cut-price fee this month.

He last played for the City Ground club in the 1-1 draw against Burnley on 18 September and has been training separately from his teammates since.

The left-footer has turned out 105 times in total for Forest since joining from Aberdeen, notching three goals and four assists.

McKenna joined Forest in 2020 and was a key man when they were promoted to the Premier League via the playoffs in the 2021-22 campaign.

He racked up 118 appearances for Aberdeen after coming through the club’s academy system.

Celtic sit top of the Scottish Premiership after their Old Firm win over Rangers on Saturday (30 December).

Brendan Rodgers’ side are eight points clear of the Gers having played a game more than their rivals.

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Tottenham Hotspur do not currently consider former Celtic man Jota to be a target for this month’s transfer window.

Jota was taken from Celtic by Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad in the summer transfer window, but quickly fell out of favour in the Kingdom.

The winger has been strongly linked with a move away from Al Ittihad to get his career back on track.

And Tottenham, where former Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou is in charge, have been mooted as a possible destination for the Portuguese attacker.

Spurs though, according to Italian journalist Rudy Galetti, do not see Jota as a target for this month.

It is suggested that the Saudi Pro League star looks set to stay at Al Ittihad until the summer transfer window.

Jota is not currently eligible to play in the Saudi Pro League and his game time has been limited to the AFC Champions League.

He also managed two outings off the bench for Al Ittihad in the recent FIFA Club World Cup.

In total, Jota made 83 appearances at Celtic and scored 28 goals.

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Celtic would accept an offer of £25million for midfield ace Matt O’Riley in the January transfer window.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, former Rangers and Scotland defender Alan Hutton claimed that Scottish sides have to accept such huge fees for their star players when clubs come knocking.

As revealed by Football Insider (27 December), Brendan Rodgers’ side want £25million for the goalscoring sensation if they are to depart with him amid interest from West Ham United.

The Danish international has been a mainstay for the Hoops since he arrived from MK Dons in January 2022 for a reported £1.5million.

The 23-year-old is Celtic’s highest goal contributor in all competitions this season with a combined 18 goals and assists.

Hutton waxed lyrical about O’Riley who “ticks all the boxes” for Celtic, but was adamant that the club would let him go if his valuation was met.

“I think it’s really important they keep him moving forward,” he told Football Insider.

“You do not want to lose any talented players really in January.

“I wouldn’t quite say they’re building the team around him, but you can see he’s come to the front and that he’s a leader in that team.

“He scores goals, he gets around the field really well and he ticks all the boxes of a modern-day midfield player.

“If it comes down to it and someone comes in with a £25million-plus bid, I’d like to think he would be off.

“That’s the way it is in Scottish football – you can’t turn that sort of money down.

“If they can hold onto him in the summer, then you get the opportunity to try and replace him.

“But they wouldn’t want to sell any of these kinds of players because the league can hinge on these players.”

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The defeat at the hands of Lazio was further proof of Celtic’s need to strengthen in the January transfer window. The club might have brought in nine new faces in the summer but a lot of people feel that the team has taken a step back since last season, when they breezed past the competition to win the domestic treble and arguably looked better in Europe too.

There are quite a few positions were Celtic need to improve. Left-back might be one of them, even though Greg Taylor has improved as the season has progressed.

Alexandro Bernabei looks completely out of Brendan Rodgers’ plans though. So, signing another left-back would not be the worst idea in the world.

It looks like a former Benfica player is in Celtic’s sights in that regard. As reported by The Telegraph, Tiago Araujo has been the subject of enquiries from Celtic, who are looking at a deal worth around £4 million in January.

Celtic want to sign £4 million-rated player in January

Araujo came up through the youth ranks at Benfica and was not able to make it at the senior level for the club. That will sound like a familiar story to Celtic fans though.

Araujo has impressed since leaving Benfica though. He has also shown impressive versatility as well. Not only can he play as a left-back but on the left-hand side of midfield as well, which would make him even more attractive to clubs looking to sign the youngster. It remains to be seen if the Hoops make a move.

• Published on 11/28/2023 at 6:00 PM EST
• Last updated on 11/28/2023 at 6:00 PM EST

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Celtic’s fate in Europe for this season is sealed after their 2-0 defeat at the hands of Lazio. The result means that the Hoops are guaranteed to finish bottom of their group in the UEFA Champions League. That also means that they will not be dropping down to the Europa League, something that should have been viewed as the minimum target.

Celtic’s performances in Europe in recent years have left a lot to be desired to say the very least. The Hoops have put in good displays from time to time but they have not been able to convert them into positive results.

The squad lacks a lot of things right now, which they need to compete at the Champions League level. It can be experience, maturity or the quality required.

Whatever may be the case, Celtic need to find a solution if they are to make any kind of progress in Europe. Let’s see how things play out. Brendan Rodgers has sent a clear message regarding what the team needs though.

Brendan Rodgers sends clear message Celtic board must not ignore

As reported by BBC, Rodgers said:

“It’s the overall quality.

“We need to have our very best players available.

“What makes the difference is that bit of experience and genuine quality. That’s something we can hopefully resolve over the next couple of windows.

“This group has gained more experience and shown they can compete in some games – but we need to add quality. That’s the glaring thing that stands out.”

This is not the first time that Rodgers has mentioned something like this either. It is very clear that the Northern Irish manager is hoping for the club to bring in some quality in the upcoming transfer windows.

They have been making a lot of project signings lately. And there is nothing wrong with that. It is great that they are seeking out future stars of the game. But at the same time, they need players who can come in and make an immediate impact as well.

The best teams are those who have the right balance of youth and experience. At this point in time, Celtic do not have that. Results at the highest levels are reflecting it.

• Published on 11/28/2023 at 4:35 PM EST
• Last updated on 11/28/2023 at 4:38 PM EST

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Celtic lost 2-0 away in Rome to Lazio. The Hoops were in the match for a long time before Ciro Immobile came off the bench to score a brace and put the game to bed. The result means that not only are Brendan Rodgers’ side out of the Champions League following the group stages but they have no chance of dropping down to the Europa League either.

It has been another group stage filled with regrets for Celtic. They could have and should have won the reverse fixture against Lazio at Parkhead, but ended up losing 2-1. And they might have been able to get a result in Rome as well if they had been clinical in front of goal.

Overall, Celtic are going out of Europe because they deserve to. It just does not feel like this team has the maturity at the moment to convert good performances into positive results. It was the story last season as well and if anything, it feels like they have taken a step back since then.

Chris Sutton was quite clear about his feelings on Celtic’s group stage campaign after the loss to Lazio. The Englishman tweeted out:

A predictably disappointing night… can’t get away from it that as Champions League groups go this was a gentle one and one point from five games in this group is not good enough. The team tonight really lacked physicality as well as real belief against a bang average Lazio.

— Chris Sutton (@chris_sutton73) November 28, 2023

Sutton publicly criticises Celtic after loss to Lazio

So, this was another disappointing season for Celtic in Europe. Unfortunately, fans might have gotten used to it by now.

The Hoops simply have not been able to deliver on the continental stage for a long time now. It remains to be seen if there is any positive movement next season.

• Published on 11/28/2023 at 3:00 PM EST
• Last updated on 11/28/2023 at 3:00 PM EST

This article was originally posted here

Jeremie Frimpong’s rise at Bayer Leverkusen has been fascinating, to say the least. The Dutchman had showed a lot of quality going forward at Celtic as well but not many could have foreseen him becoming one of the most prolific wingbacks in Europe just a few years later. That is exactly what has happened under the management of Xabi Alonso though.

Bayer Leverkusen are currently leading the Bundesliga table, exceeding all expectations. One has to remember that they were relegation contenders just a year ago when Alonso became manager.

One of the biggest reasons behind their rise since then has been the form of players like Frimpong. According to stats from Transfermarkt, he has scored 6 goals and provided 7 assists in 17 appearances this season so far.

Fantastic numbers for a full-back to say the least. And it looks like he is set to leave Bayer Leverkusen in the not too distant future, which will hand Celtic a major transfer windfall.

Celtic handed £7 million Jeremie Frimpong windfall news

As tweeted out by Florian Plettenberg, Bayer Leverkusen expect Frimpong to leave the club in 2024. He is also very keen on a transfer. He has a release clause of €40m in the summer.

Frimpong joined Bayer Leverkusen for a transfer fee around £11.5 million. Some sources have suggested that Celtic hold a sell-on clause of around 30% on any profits that the Bundesliga club make from his exit in the future.

So, if that figure is accurate and his release clause is met, then that should bring in a £7 million fee for the Hoops.

• Published on 11/28/2023 at 1:05 PM EST
• Last updated on 11/28/2023 at 1:05 PM EST

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