PAULO BERNARDO is heading for the finishing line in his negotiations with Celtic.
The Portuguese playmaker impressed Brendan Rodgers during his season-long loan switch from Benfica and the clubs have now agree a fee for the player.
The champions and Bernardo are in final personal negotiations to get the five-year deal rubber-stamped.
The clubs have agreed a fee of around £3.5million for the 22-year-old midfielder with the Lisbon giants receiving something in the region of 30 per cent of any transfer profits if the stylish performer leaves Rodgers’ double winners.
SEE YOU IN GLASGOW…Paulo Bernardo tussles for possession with Aberdeen’s Connor Barron who joined the Ibrox club this summer. The Portuguese ace is poised to become a permanent fixture at Parkhead.
It is now down to the Parkhead money men to reach a salary figure that suits the club and the player, according to local sports media A Bola.
The path is now clear for Bernardo to line up again alongside skipper Callum McGregor and Reo Hatate in the Hoops’ engine room in the new campaign although, of course, there is still conjecture over the future of Matt O’Riley.
The ball artiste has not been involved in Benfica’s two pre-season friendlies as negotiations with Celtic have continued. He has trained with the first-team squad, but it is highly unlikely he will figure in tomorrow’s warm-up encounter against Almería in Thonon-les-Bains.
Bernardo, who scored four goals in 33 appearances in all competitions, is under contract with the Portuguese club until June 2027, but his time in Lisbon is coming to a conclusion as he heads for Glasgow.