Celtic : Sydney van Hooijdonk and Paulo Bernardo considered to strengthen the team ?
The Scottish Premiership champions, Celtic FC, are reportedly keen on securing a loan deal for Portuguese midfielder Paulo Bernardo from Benfica. The young playmaker is not part of the first-team plans under coach Roger Schmidt for the upcoming season.
Bernardo has been left out of the main squad despite being tipped as a future star during his time with Benfica’s B team. He made his senior debut in 2021 and quickly caught attention with his performances. However, he now finds himself surplus to requirements at Estadio da Luz.
The Portugal U21 international has a staggering £90m buy-out clause in his contract that runs until 2027. Despite this hefty price tag, it is believed that Benfica might be open to renegotiating a purchase option after one year if they agree to send him on loan.
According to Record Sport, several clubs have shown interest in taking Bernardo on loan. Among them is Celtic who are looking for reinforcements ahead of the transfer deadline. The Lisbon-based club is said to be considering all options before making a final decision.
Other transfer rumors surrounding Celtic
In other news related to Celtic’s transfer activity, Luis Palma could soon join the Hoops while Mathias Kvistgaarden seems unlikely due to Brondby’s high asking price. Another potential addition could be Sydney van Hooijdonk from Bologna – son of former Parkhead hero Pierre van Hooijdonk – whose future remains uncertain amid interest from Wolfsburg.
Meanwhile, there are speculations about possible departures from Celtic too. Leeds United and Southampton have expressed interest in Matt O’Riley but any move appears unlikely given Reo Hatate’s recent injury setback.
