Paulo Bernardo leaves Celtic transfer door open but Brendan Rodgers’ message the only thing on star’s mind

The Portuguese will see what the summer brings but hasn’t ruled out the possibility of leaving benfica for the Bhoys.

Paulo Bernardo is starting to make a happy habit of this.

After having a bit of a rough start to the season after joining from Benfica, Celtic’s Portuguese loanee is now securing a spot in Brendan Rodgers’ midfield after three goals in his previous four games. With a brilliant chipping goal to end Buckie Thistle’s valiant struggle and convert a David vs. Goliath fourth round Scottish Cup encounter into a sure rout, Bernardo was back to his best. Earlier in the campaign, Bernardo did appear to have wandered into the wrong movie theater in Glasgow’s east end for an extended period of time.

However, a string of candid talks with manager Rodgers has enabled him to become accustomed to the team in time for

the big push towards a potential domestic double in May. What happens beyond that remains unclear. He was asked after yesterday’s match if he sees his long term future with Scotland’s champions or if, at the very least, he has plans to extend his stay in this country beyond the summer.

But, for a young man who has suddenly found his voice on the pitch, he seems strangely tight-lipped where the next step of his career is concerned. He said: “I just think about the present, game by game, how I can improve.

“Then the other things will happen. I am enjoying it a lot. The fans are unbelievable and they like me, so I am feeling good too. I just have to keep going and doing things well.”

Asked if he has spoken to Rodgers about the possibility of thrashing out a permanent deal this summer he side-stepped it expertly. Bernardo said only: “No. He and me just want to keep things going well and to improve a lot.

The big season re-start could hardly have gone any better for the manager and his players with yesterday’s five goal romp – even if they could have had another four were it not for a combination of the linesman’s flag and a busy afternoon shift at VAR central.

And Bernardo went on: “It was good. To win 5-0 was a great way for us to come back after the winter break. It’s our job to score goals. We have to respect the other team and never put the foot on the break.

“We did that well today. We played a good game and enjoyed playing back at Celtic Park It’s my job to score goals too. I have to do my best. Happily everything is going well for me but I want to do more.

“I think I can do better in the second half of the season. I have to improve a lot in my game so I just have to continue to work hard and everything is going to go well. It’s my job to score goals too. I have to continue to improve and score goals and make assists, because now the football is like that.”

But Bernardo admits it has taken him a little longer than he might have liked to get his head around the demands placed on him by Rodgers. Sometimes the penny takes some time to drop

He went on: “Yeah, it’s about how much game time I have. I think now I understand a lot more than I did in the beginning. I feel more comfortable with the team’s tactics and I understand more about the other players too.”

With Reo Hatate to return to the mix as soon as Japan’s run in the Asian Cup is over, Bernardo knows he’ll face the same fight all over again just to keep himself in Celtic’s starting line-up.

But it’s a challenge which he’s looking forward to with considerable relish. He added: “Competition is always good for the team because it keeps all the players at a good level. It’s good for me and for the team too.”

It was the ideal method for Rodgers to ease his team back into the season following the winter break. Against opponents from the fifth tier of the Scottish game, they scored five goals but had the opportunity to help themselves to double figures.

In the end, it proved to be too much for young Buckie, who bravely endured for a full day when Bernardo netted and the roof collapsed on top of them. Following the game, Rodgers stated, “It was a good day for both clubs.” From our vantage point, it is evident that we completed the task effectively, played excellent football, and scored some excellent goals.