After signing deals to bring in Viljami Sinisalo and Kasper Schmeichel, Celtic is reportedly nearing their third acquisition despite having a quiet start to the summer transfer window.
News of a Celtic move
Having just won the Scottish Premiership for the third time in a row, the Bhoys were never in danger this summer, but Brendan Rodgers’ team still needed to improve. After backup Sinisalo arrived, Celtics were obliged to look for a new first-choice goalkeeper after Joe Hart’s retirement. They were able to get Schmeichel on a free transfer.
In Celtic’s most recent preseason game, the two goalkeepers saw plenty of action as well, helping their new team overcome Premier League winners Manchester City in a thrilling 4-3 victory in the United States.
It appears like the good news will continue to flow following that thrilling preseason triumph. It has apparently been a long time coming, but those in Scotland are now expected to sign their first outfield player of the summer window.
Paulo Bernardo is reportedly close to joining Celtic on a permanent basis. The central midfielder is excited about the possibility of moving to Parkhead for the summer, and the paperwork has been signed and a medical appointment scheduled. After joining from Benfica for an estimated £3.5 million, Bernardo will look to continue his success in Scotland, where he helped the Bhoys win both the Scottish Cup and the league.
Bernardo, who is still only 22 years old, will be trying to establish himself as a regular starter under Rodgers in the upcoming campaign after making just 11 starts in the Scottish Premiership the previous campaign. Nonetheless, the fact that Celtic appear to have paid a premium to sign him permanently says volumes about his potential for success in Scotland.
Bernardo would be “great” to replace O’Riley.
While Matt O’Riley’s Celtics future is still up in the air due to interest from all across Europe, Bernardo is expected to sign a long-term contract that might provide Rodgers with a ready-made replacement. If O’Riley does decide to go this summer, it will undoubtedly be difficult to replace him, but the 22-year-old Benfica player showed promise last year, contributing to three goals and scoring four in all competitions.
What’s more, it’s worth noting that in the season prior to O’Riley’s 19-goal heroics last time out, he too managed to find the back of the net four times in all competitions. With the ability to play in a more advanced role, it’s not absurd to suggest that Bernardo could yet help to replace the Dane’s impressive output.
Rodgers will certainly back his pending arrival, having said via Celts Are Here after Bernardo’s first goal for the club last season: “For Paulo it was good. He’s such a mature player for a young player. He’s always had a great attitude at training. He’s played in a lot of big games. But he had a wee bit of everything today – he had a wee bit of dig, put his foot in, passed the ball and made runs into the box.”
