The Hoops manager is pleased with the Benfica loanee and has hinted at a permanent deal.

Paulo Bernardo to Celtic CAN be done as buzzing Brendan Rodgers reveals the transfer fee is ‘absolutely’ realistic.

Brendan Rodgers has revealed for the first time that a deal for Paulo Bernardo CAN be completed.

The Celtic manager has hinted that he wants to make a permanent move from Benfica, praising the loanee’s performances for the Scottish champions. The Hoops know how much it would cost to sign the midfielder – like Jota – from the Portuguese giants, and Rodgers has said it is ‘absolutely’ realistic.
He intends to sit down at the end of the season and take it from there, but has stressed that while a fee is manageable for Celtic, it is a two-way street, and Bernardo must clearly agree to make the full-time switch. His admission comes as the Parkhead club looks to extend the contract of key player Cameron Carter-Vickers in order to fend off interest from the Premier League. We exclusively revealed that West Ham, Brentford, and Nottingham Forest are all interested in the USA international, who is on contract until 2026.

When asked about Bernardo’s future, Rodgers stated, “I’m delighted with Paulo’s emergence.” There is an agreement with the club, and we can activate it if we want to. He came in and gradually learned the fundamentals of our play. I knew he’d start against the Rangers last month, and we wanted to give him a run of games. He has been fantastic.

“He’s got an old head on young shoulders.” He is a top professional. I can see him emerging and growing as a person, becoming more confident among the players. He now has a clear understanding of how we play and work, and you can see his game flourish. He’s been excellent, and I expect him to improve.

“We will evaluate it. I’ll sit down with him at some point near the end of the season and go from there. Are we aware of the fee involved? Yeah. But obviously, the player would have to agree as well; it’s a two-way street. However, Paulo appears to be having a great time here. He’s improving and developing. Is the fee reasonable? I won’t say what it is, but it’s definitely there.

in other news,,  Rodgers on key Celtic contract talks: “I absolutely love it.”