Paulo Bernardo's impact at Celtic was immediate and decisive. In the Scottish Cup Final two years ago, his crashing shot from the edge of the box was spilled by Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland, allowing Adam Idah to net the winner. Earlier that season, Bernardo thrashed a brilliant opener past Butland in a vital 2-1 home win and provided an inch-perfect through ball for Idah in a 3-3 draw at Ibrox, helping Celtic secure the Premiership title.
Those performances made his permanent move from Benfica a formality, with Celtic paying £6 million. As captain of Portugal's Under-21s, Bernardo was tipped for a senior call-up. However, while Portugal prepares for a World Cup clash against Croatia in Toronto, Bernardo is back in Glasgow for pre-season, suggesting his progression has stalled amid fierce competition for midfield places in the national team.
Bernardo's Decline in Form and Game Time
There is no argument that Bernardo has not kicked on at club level since those bright beginnings. After playing just 12 minutes as a substitute in a win over Motherwell in mid-March, he was not seen again in the remaining 10 games. Manager Martin O'Neill preferred Luke McCowan and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as backup options, leaving Bernardo in a suit for the trophy presentations.
Now, more than ever, Bernardo must recapture his best form. The Parkhead exit door is ajar, and several midfielders are likely to leave. Celtic rejected a £25 million bid from Nottingham Forest for Arne Engels in the winter window, and the Belgian has since changed agent, signaling a desire to move to a bigger league. Reo Hatate, a magician when in form, has often disappeared in games lately and was dropped from the matchday squad for the final matches, despite costing less than £2 million and repaying that outlay many times over.
Midfield Exodus Creates Opportunity
If Engels and Hatate depart, Celtic will have at least two midfield spots to fill, even if captain Callum McGregor and Benjamin Nygren stay. That means Bernardo is likely to remain at the club. He has the ability to produce and win O'Neill over, as his talents have been clearly evident in the past. But he needs to bring it out again because Celtic cannot afford £6 million purchases sitting on the sidelines in a suit.
According to sources, the recruitment team must make key additions, but midfield is expected to be heavily affected. Hanging onto players for too long has been a mistake Celtic have made before, and they should not repeat it. Bernardo's chance to re-establish himself is now, as the club needs him on the park, not in the stands.
