Scottish champions Celtic are a club famed for their production of young talent, having churned out notable key figures from the academy ranks throughout their illustrious history, stretching back to the Lisbon Lions right through to the more modern examples of James Forrest and Callum McGregor.
It does appear that current boss Ange Postecoglou is keen to continue that tradition of promoting from within, with the 57-year-old having tipped a handful of youngsters – including promising left-back Matthew Anderson – to go on to make their mark in the senior ranks, having stated back in January:
"Over the course of the next six to 12 months they’ll start beginning to make an impact at first-team level. I really believe that."
Just a matter of months on from that statement, the Greek-Aussie's prophecy has already come to fruition, with Rocco Vata, in particular, having become a more prominent member of the first-team squad of late.
The highly-coveted 18-year-old – who has attracted significant interest from clubs across Europe – has now featured off the bench in three of the last four Scottish Premiership games, having previously been described by talent scout Jacek Kulig as a player who has an "exciting future ahead".
The Republic of Ireland youth international is the latest example that there is a pathway between the youth ranks and the first-team for those who are deserving of a promotion, with the hope being that others will begin to follow in his footsteps.
There has, of course, already been a debut outing for Ben Summers in recent weeks, although the midfielder is not the only talent who could well emulate Vata in the near future, with young Adam Brooks having the potential to be the club's next sensation.
Who is Celtic's Adam Brooks?
The teenage starlet is among those who are still waiting for a first-team bow, although the versatile asset – who can feature in an attacking midfield role or as a centre-forward – can hardly have done much more to stake his claim following what has been a scintillating campaign for the club's 'B' team.
The 19-year-old dynamo has so far scored 15 goals and provided two assists in just 26 games across all fronts this season, notably bagging a standout haul of 13 goals in only 19 Lowland League appearances.
It would appear that the Scotland youth international is continuing the standout form that he showcased last term, having been praised for his impactful performances by youth coach Darren O'Dea, who stated back in January 2022:
"Adam is one at the minute that’s in really good form, he’s scoring goals, he’s created a lot of goals, he’s trained particularly well. But he’s also developing the other side to his game."
The free-scoring talent may be hoping to emerge as a possible competitor to the likes of Oh Hyeon-gyu and Kyogo Furuhashi in a central role, with O'Dea having suggested the latter man is a perfect example for young Brooks to follow:
"And for Adam, someone like Kyogo is who he should be watching all the time. As much as Kyogo is known for how sensational he is in possession, he’s as good out of possession."
The aim for the £600-p/w teen will be to make the step up over the coming weeks if Postecoglou's men are able to swiftly wrap up the title, with the case of Vata having shown that the Celtic boss is willing to give opportunities to the club's sparkling youngsters.
