Celtic have hit a stalemate in their bid to get Liam Scales and Rocco Vata onto new contracts.
The defender is on a deal until May 2025 while the teenage forward will become a free agent in the summer, able to sign up elsewhere with Celtic receiving a compensation fee based on the time that Vata has spent in the club’s Academy.
On January 7 The Sun reported Brendan Rodgers saying:
I believe the club is in talks with Liam’s agent and he’s really happy because he’s playing. I’m sure that will get sorted out in due course. It’s been an amazing story for him.
Two months later it appears that no real progress has been made, in the Daily Record transfer specialist Scott Burns reports:
Celtic remain in talks with Liam Scales and Rocco Vata over new deals. Offers are on the table for both but neither player is any closer to an agreement at this stage.
Despite the summer signings of Gus Lagerbielke and Maik Nawrocki, Scales came into the Celtic defence at the end of August and hasn’t missed a game since despite the turmoil in that area of the team.
That run of appearances has taken him straight into the Irish international side and will no doubt have alerted other clubs to his development.
Signed in 2021 from Shamrock Rovers just after his 23rd birthday the defender is likely to be one of the lowest paid players in the first team squad.
Vata has been linked with a variety of clubs this season including teams in Italy but has recently been more involved with the Celtic first team squad despite only making three brief first team appearances.
CLICK HERE for Scales Transfermarkt profile.
If Scales has an agent worthy of the name, he’ll be pressing the flesh at every Championship and EPL club outside the top 6 (and Tottenham!) to see if he can drum up some interest in his client, who would be a very low-cost squad player option for many of them.
As for Vata, I think this kid has been badly advised for a long time. He needs to either sign and knuckle down and try to earn a regular starting place or go and see if he can make it elsewhere. It seems to be a very big soap opera over a player who thus far has achieved the square root of f***-all in his career.
Wouldn’t expect to see these contract issues resolved before the end of the season imo?
Possibly both are waiting to see if Rodgers remains as manager imo?
Think there is more chance of both signing if Rodgers were to remain in charge?
However, if a new manager should be calling the shots, then Wouldn’t surprise whatsoever if both were regarded as been surplus to requirements imo?
Vata still Possibly a long way behind Mikey or forrest at present, yet holds a slight advantage with being able to operate through the centre also?
Scales has done surprisingly well this season, especially when no-one really expected it?
Despite a drop off in current form, still believe his future with ourselves could be decided upon just how well he preforms for the remainder of this season, especially against the scum imo?