As Celtic begin to weigh up the future of Paulo Bernardo and look at making his move to Glasgow permanent, the debate over his valuation has intensified.
While reports suggested Celtic’s readiness to activate a £6.4 million buyout clause, conflicting information emerged, with CeltsAreHere revealing on Thursday that no decision had been made either way.
Pundit Tam McManus weighed in on the discussion, suggesting that Bernardo, despite his potential and flashes of quality, might not warrant such a high transfer fee based on his performance so far.
McManus proposed a more conservative valuation of around £2 million to £3 million for the Portuguese U21 international, citing inconsistency as a concern.
He said on PLZ Soccer: “On what I’ve seen so far? No, no. I would pay £2m, maybe two and a half or three at most. I wouldn’t pay £6.5m.”
Bernardo’s situation at Celtic is a complex one. On one hand, his potential and ability to adapt without a settling-in period are clear advantages. On the other hand, his inconsistency raises questions about the wisdom of investing a significant portion of the club’s transfer budget in him.
It is certainly one to keep an eye on in the summer, with it doubtful Celtic will rush into anything before then.
