Stephen O’Donnell has shared his thoughts on Rocco Vata’s future after he scored his first goal for Celtic at the weekend.

The 18-year-old is out-of-contract in the summer and many are still unsure if he will still be a Celtic player for next season.

Motherwell right-back Stephen O’Donnell stated that a club like Celtic is a ‘different animal’ and if it’s ‘easy’ to get into the XI, then there is something wrong, as he told PLZ Soccer.

The 26-cap Scotland international was trying to highlight the difficulties Rocco Vata should be having in trying to earn regular minutes under Brendan Rodgers and the brutal reality of it all.

The versatile attacker can play out wide, as well as on the inside, but Celtic are stacked in the final third.

Whilst Rocco Vata could certainly increase his minutes from the bench during these coming months, those starts aren’t going to come about any time soon, so he has to be patient.

But with clubs in Italy trying to sign the player, then it just raises further doubt as to whether he will still be at Parkhead next season.

Stephen O’Donnell praised Rocco Vata as a player and how he looked ‘very sharp’ when he once came on against him, but warned that it’s not easy playing for such a ‘massive club’.

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Will Rocco Vata leave Celtic?

“When you are at a massive club like that then it’s a big decision,” said O’Donnell. “You do need to get first-team football.

“But when you look at it. I think it’s only James Forrest who has gone straight into Celtic’s first-team and stayed there. Callum McGregor had to go out on loan to earn your stripes or just to gain experience of playing men’s football.

“Rocco Vata came on against me. I came on and he came on as well at wing-back. He looked very sharp and looked like a good player.

“Again, Celtic is a different animal. Whenever it’s easy to get into a Celtic side, then there is something seriously wrong and that certainly isn’t the case.”

Rocco Vata needs to make a footballing call

The youngster needs to take the financial side out of it. Make the best footballing call and then roll on from there.

From Celtic’s perspective, it would be great to have the player sign a new deal because of the levels he can hit in years to come.

But if Vata feels he can earn regular starts for a club in Italy and progress his career that way, then good luck to the kid.