He has been told his current club don’t want him.
A £5,800-a-week star with a “great attitude” now wants to join Celtic in the summer transfer window, according to a new update from Sky Sports.
Celtic transfer news The Hoops are still riding high after not only winning the Scottish Premiership title at the expense of rivals Rangers, but also clinching Scottish Cup glory against them, following Adam Idah’s dramatic late winner at Hampden Park last month.
This isn’t a time for Celtic to be getting carried away, however, and Brendan Rodgers will know that further improvements are needed to his squad this summer, especially in terms of holding their own more in the Champions League next season.
One audacious piece of business that has been mooted is a move for Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips, which could really catch the eye of supporters. Granted, the 28-year-old has had a tough year or two, struggling at the Etihad and on loan at West Ham, but he has still been a regular starter for England at major tournaments, and is young enough to have plenty of good years in him still.
Celtic are also reportedly “trying to negotiate” a deal that will see Paulo Bernardo join the Hoops for good after being on loan from Benfica, potentially coming in as Rodgers’ first signing of the summer. Manchester United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir could also come in as a replacement for the retired Joe Hart, as he eyes an exit from Old Trafford in order to enjoy more regular football.
Player with “great attitude” wants Celtic move According to an update from Sky Sports, Celtic’s deal for Bernardo just got easier, because the Portuguese talent is “keen” on a permanent move after being “told” he has no future with his parent club. There is an option to buy clause in his loan, which could be worth £6.5m, but the Hoops are still hopeful of lowering it.
This is great news for Celtic, with the £5,800-a-week Bernardo proving to be an important player after arriving on loan, making 22 appearances in the league, also chipping in with three goals and assists apiece in the process.
The 22-year-old caught the eye of Rodgers, who is no doubt very interested in retaining his services, with the Hoops boss saying back in December: “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.
A permanent switch is a no-brainer for Celtic, and the fact that Bernardo wants the same thing means that a deal will hopefully be struck with few stumbling blocks, even though they will look to get him for less than the aforementioned £6.5m.
