Paulo Bernardo

At the end of the day it sounds like a deal to suit everyone, the player wants to play and Benfica’s head coach has made it clear he isn’t part of the first team plans.

He was useful for us and has some very strong points to his game and areas that he has to work on. He didn’t quite deliver what we would be looking for to spend £6m on a player but given our varied levels of success in transfer windows getting someone we know what he brings for £3.5m seems fair.

With Benfica, when you actually see what they have sold fringe players for previously I think the asking price perhaps had a bit of a Jota tax in it. When we got Jota for just over £6m it was reported that Benfica fans felt he had been undersold. Yes they did well in the end due to the move to Saudi which sorted that out but Bernardo to date hasn’t delivered for us at the rate Jota did.

It’s either they agree a deal with us or they have to find a club to take the player for next season.

 

3 and a half is daylight robbery. Cheers Benfica BUMPED

 

I'd have said take him at the quoted 6m, if he wants to come and Benfica are actually willing to sit down and hash out something between 3-5m we're doing really well here, basically be getting the player and covering his wages for the same overall cost we were originally told for just the transfer fee.

 

I think they did well with the Jota sell on so probably hoping for the same

 

That’s a steal for 3.5 million … Do they have any left backs or wingers they can loan us next?

 

Looks to be truth in this as more outlets are reporting it that’s a coup as I think he will be better this season with more games than he was last season


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Guess it depends on O'Riley going/who replaces him but even at 3.5m he needs to play more than he did this season to justify that I'd say.

 

Good point aye. I get the feeling both sides feel like they can benefit from having an ongoing relationship where any negotiations are in good faith, each club can come and go a little knowing there will be more business to be done down the line. We should look to build this sort of rapport with other clubs who have great academies imo.

 

Definitely to start with.

However, I'd hope that as we progress as a club and we continue to grow our club, we should be looking at someone like Benfica and signing some of their first team squad who are out of favour.

We should always be on the lookout for talent but we need to progress the club at the same time. Don't think there is any denying that we have went backwards in terms of our recruitment and our scouting over the last 2/3 years.

 

There's only so much growth we can have though, while playing in the Scottish league. We'll always be limited in comparison to these type of clubs.

 

I don't think there is any denying that the Dutch League and the Portuguese League are ahead of us, in terms of their wealth and their appeal to players. It will always be difficult to attract players who are playing there. Especially if they're getting regular game time and a first team starter.

We will never be able to afford signing players in the first team from Benfica, Sporting or Porto. Probably not even Braga. I do think, with the likes of players who have been frozen out the first team, are barely making squads and are generally not part of the managers plans, we could/should be able to convince these players to come and play over here. Especially now you're into a different format in Europe where you are playing a minimum of 8 games a season. Add that into your big games domestically against the Edinburgh clubs and the * across the road, you have a decent amount of competitive matches, with a big chunk of them played in front of 60k at Celtic Park.

I know people think that playing the likes of Ross County and Dundee away will put players off and that's probably true to certain players. There is some * pitiful clubs in the Portugese top flight, though. Teams who barely get 1000 supporters through the gate in match days that aren't against the big clubs. The only difference is the sun shines down in one country and it rains in ours.

 

I presume you mean going for more established/experienced players that happen to be out of the picture at the clubs you mention? Problem there is what sort of wages are they on?

Targeting the younger lads that haven't quite made it there is a lot more feasible as their wages won't be sky high, which gives us more scope to take a chance. Whereas if we start throwing 40 and 50 grand pw at players it could quickly end up on a slippery slope.

Am very happy with our current relationship with Benfica personally, long may it continue.

 

If Dundee have their way and construction soon starts that’s one away day we can tick off the list as being attractive


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

£3.5 million is fantastic business for him.

 

No not conveniently forgetting but rather suggesting that for £6million I would be expecting performances week in week out and performances that change games domestically for us on a regular basis. As it was he couldn't even get a place in the first 11.

£3.5million though is being reported as a possible fee. At that price it's a no brainer.

 

3.5m is perfect can keep him as he is and see if he can force his way in to the starting 11 , he has potential to go up levels .

 

Nah on a long contract there is no rush , he will get game time and if he can push on he will become a regular . 3.5 million for current back up and future potential imo.

 

I've got no complaints with that price..

Almost half the originally quoted fee, for a player who has potential and shown small glimpses..

Was a definite no for me at 6 and a starter but at just over 3, his age, being more settled...then maybe he can grow in to a starter in time as I still don't see him as one. Want more dynamism in the middle and creativity..

 

Yes, in a sense. I’ll give you a couple of examples of players I’d be looking at right now from the top teams in Portugal, who aren’t getting a shot but would instantly improve us.

David Carmo, Porto centre back who has just won the Conference League title with Olympiacos. Signed with Porto from Braga in 2019. Rumours he’s on £30k a week. Olympiacos have an option to buy for £15m but I don’t think they can afford to pay that. I’m not suggesting we do pay that, a loan with an option for £10m could be possible though.

Fran Navarro, Porto striker. Another who signed with Olympiacos on loan. Another who has a buy option, this time I think it’s around £7m. They signed him from Gil Vicente in Portugal last summer for £7m, he’s not quite worked out there but absolutely no chance he’s earning anywhere near £50k a week. Had an incredible record in Portugal for Gil Vicente, over 2 different seasons.

Andreas Schjelderup, 19 year old winger/attacking midfielder playing for FC Nordsjaelland. On loan from Benfica. They signed him from the same team for £9m, he’s not quite hit the heights but they want to sell him. Had an excellent year in Denmark the year of his big move. Again, no chance he’s on mega wages. He’s a mix of youth(3 years younger than Bernardo) but having far more experience. Should be all over him for that sort of price.

David Jurasek, left back playing for Hoffenheim on loan from Benfica. Had a good 6 months in Germany so this one is unlikely but he’s not on mega wages either. Joined from Sparta Prague. He’s another one who has an option to buy for £11m. 23, played over 120 games at a good level and is currently in the Czech Republic team for the Euros.

I like that we continue to build relationships with clubs but let’s not be a feeder team for someone like Benfica, when we can and should be rivalling them. Our turnovers aren’t completely miles apart and while Portugal is undoubtedly streets ahead of Scotland, from a professional and personal perspective, we shouldn’t be just picking up their youths.

Right now, that’s working out for us. However, we need to go to the next level as a club and that’s where we need to start picking up more experienced players.

 

It's good that you look into players around Europe, I imagine it's an interesting pass time if you're into it. Am sure any scouts we're in contact are well aware of all these guys, and details passed on to the club.

I'd almost guarantee that Rodgers will have plenty of names of similar profile of the ones you mention here and in the player suggestion thread, and he'll 100% be looking to secure some of them this summer and beyond.

But that to me is a separate thing to what am talking about. The Benfica academy is world class and not all the young guys are going to make it. That is exactly the type of place we should be looking to build a relationship with, it has the potential to deliver some excellent results (and already has).

What you're talking about is a different thing entirely. Rodgers knows we need 'more experienced players' but that has zero to do with us doing business with big clubs with great academies.