Paulo Bernardo is edging closer to a Celtic return as Brendan Rodgers firms up advances for targets this window.
Now back at Benfica, the Portugal Under-21 international could complete a swift return to Glasgow after the Bhoys agreed a £3.5 million fee with his parent club ahead of a potential permanent transfer.
Reports in Portugal suggest Bernardo is set to sign a four-year deal at Celtic worth £3,354,400, which equates to roughly £17,470 in weekly wages.
The 22-year-old impressed on loan last term, registering four goals and three assists in 33 appearances across all competitions.
Optimism is rising among Celtic supporters after they confirmed Viljami Sinisalo as their first summer signing yesterday, and Mark Wilson believes Bernardo arriving could be a similarly intelligent deal from the club.
Mark Wilson on Paulo Bernardo to Celtic latest
Sinisalo arrived at Celtic for £1 million, which, in the grand scheme of things, is a bargain fee for a player of his potential to develop into a valuable first-team asset.
Taking a comparable viewpoint, Wilson believes that if the Bhoys are able to land Bernardo at around £3.5 million, this would be a similar example of smart business being conducted by the Scottish Premiership holders.
He stated [Clyde 1 Superscoreboard]: “If Bernardo gets over the line, £3.5 million looks a lot better than what a lot of people initially thought the fee could have been. I include myself in that, we spoke about Bernardo at the end of the season, if he’d be worth that money.
“I think it was touted around £5 million or £6 million, I didn’t think so, but I certainly think he’s worth £3.5 million.
“I think that’ll be a good bit of business. If they get Idah over the line, if they get Schmeichel. Will they unveil all four in one go? (Sinisalo already confirmed since), But, I think the Celtic fans will be pleased that that at least they’ve got one over the line.”
Celtic need to turn the screw in the market
Bernardo may well join Sinisalo in being announced this week; there is a concrete possibility of that unfolding. Following his medical yesterday, Kasper Schmeichel is expected to become a new Celtic arrival; nevertheless, there are still plenty of endeavours to be pursued on the market.
Negotiations are ongoing over Republic of Ireland international Adam Idah, and it remains to be seen if the Hoops can strike an agreement with Norwich City for his services. Beyond that, central defence, left-back, central midfield, and the flanks are other positions that could use strengthening.
Royal Antwerp winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha is attracting interest from Celtic, and further talks involving the Gent-born man are scheduled for later this week.
Despite this, whether the Bhoys advance on that front is anyone’s guess. The transfer window is starting to spark into life, but there is lots of work to be done.
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