Benfica boss admits that Paulo Bernardo has final say on Celtic move

In partnership with

The Celtic Star

·5 February 2024

Benfica boss admits that Paulo Bernardo has final say on Celtic move

Benfica manager Roger Schmidt has admitted that Paulo Bernardo will be able to determine where he plays his football next year. The Portuguese midfielder has become a mainstay in the Celtic midfield in recent months after making the most of his opportunity under Brendan Rodgers, culminating in a goal against Rangers before the turn of the year.

As reported by Record Sport, Schmidt believes that the loan offers Benfica players the chance to show their worth before a decision is made about where their future lies.

OneFootball Videos

“You have to remember it’s also about the will of the player and what he wants to do.

“With all the players who leave Benfica, the idea is to give them the opportunity to develop and gain confidence.

“And of course, it’s always an excellent opportunity for Benfica to watch them.

“The aim is to have a good overview of all the players.

“But we have to make difficult decisions afterwards at the end of the season, because we also have to respect the player’s wishes.”

Since joining the club from the Portuguese outfit, Bernardo has made 18 appearances, including 6 in the UCL, scoring three goals and assisting on two occasions. With Matt O’Riley expected to be the next high-profile Celtic departure, Bernardo could fit in as the natural successor to that role.

🗣️ "𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗔 𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗞𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗜𝗦!" Paulo Bernardo puts Celtic 1-0 ahead with a great goal 🔽
– Saturday, 30 December 2023

The Scottish Champions have a £6m buy option on the player and will likely be looking to activate that given the performances from the player. It has been one of the key recruitment strategies for Celtic in recent years, signing a player on loan with a higher buy option. The club have utilised the technique with Odsonne Edouard, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Jota. Although, it ties in with the manager’s comments about being braver in the transfer market when looking at the £5m-7m transfers.

Here’s our Photo Gallery from the game at Pittodrie on Saturday…