PAULO BERNARDO insists the “sky is the limit” after sealing his £3.5million move from Benfica to Celtic.
The cultured Portuguese playmaker impressed Brendan Rodgers enough to transform his original season-long loan deal from Benfica into a five-year contract and the player wants to prove he can be a leader at the champions.
Bernardo, who wasn’t risked and remained on the substitutes’ bench for the 4-0 win over Kilmarnock at Parkhead in the weekend’s Premiership kick-off, is hoping to get the opportunity to strut his stuff at Easter Road on Sunday when the Hoops take on Hibs.
COME IN, No.28…Paulo Bernardo is beaming after sealing his five-year deal at Celtic.
The 23-year-old star acknowledges it is going to be a difficult task to become a mainstay in a midfield with the likes of Callum McGregor, Matt O’Riley and Reo Hatate around, but that competition will merely spur him on to become the best he can be.
Of course, O’Riley has been involved in intense transfer speculation throughout the summer, but Bernardo has remained focused and said: “I don’t know what will happen.
“I’m here to do my job and if he stays or not I want to take the place, that’s it. I feel I will work for sure and get my opportunities, too.
”I feel the sky’s the limit, I always live that way.”
Bernardo, speaking to the Daily Record, continued: “My manager in Portugal says that every player has to be a captain and the armband is only like a representative for the team.
CUP FINAL WINNER COMING UP…Paulo Bernardo races away from Nico Raskin as he prepares to fire in the shot that saw Jack Butland parry the ball to Adam Idah who pounced for Hampden glory.
“I have this leadership in me. Every player has to be a captain. Callum is a great captain and, for me, he’s the best leader that I’ve ever had.
“But he can call for more players to do that, to help him. I got to be a captain in the Portugal Under-21s, so it was really nice to be in that position.
“Now that I have come back, I know my team-mates well now. I can improve myself, too.”
Bernardo is now aiming to break into his country’s full international set-up and added: “Portugal has a lot of players and a lot of quality in the midfield and in other positions.
“It will not be easy to go for the national team. And I have to show first here and then the things will happen naturally.
“I’m not in a rush, I have time and I need to work hard to get these opportunities to come.
“We have guys like Bruno Fernandes and that’s what I’m going to aim for.”
THAT’S MY BHOY…Matt O’Riley acclaims Paulo Bernardo after his team-mate’s strike in the 3-0 win over Livingston in West Lothian in March.
Bernardo became the champions’ third signing of this window as he follows goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel, picked up as a free agent after leaving Anderlecht, and Finnish international No.1 Vilijami Sinisalo, a £1million recruit from Aston Villa.
The Hoops have also stepped up their efforts to bring back striker Adam Idah, as CQN reported last night.
Norwich City are said to be pushing the transfer fee to around the £8million mark for the Republic of Ireland ace who claimed nine goals – including the Scottish Cup winner – in his 19 loan appearances.
