Former Celtic striker-turned-pundit Chris Sutton believes that Hoops midfielder Paulo Bernardo has all the attributes necessary to fill the void left by Matt O’Riley.
The Danish playmaker recently departed Celtic for a record-breaking £30m move to English Premier League side Brighton. However, O’Riley’s start on the south coast has been far from ideal.
Shortly after making his Brighton debut, O’Riley suffered a severe ankle injury that required surgery. While the operation was successful, the 23-year-old now faces a recovery period of 8-12 weeks on the sidelines.
Despite his significant contribution to Celtic last season, the team has coped remarkably well in his absence over the past two games.
Bernardo, the Portuguese under-21 captain, has stepped into O’Riley’s role seamlessly. His performance against Rangers on Sunday was particularly notable, with many feeling he was unlucky not to claim the Man of the Match award.
Sutton was particularly impressed with what he saw from Bernardo, commenting:
“He (Bernardo) was magnificent for his hour on the park.”
Speaking to RecordSport, the pundit continued, “The Portuguese really mixed his game up. He did the hard yards and made the tackles as well as making the angles and passes.”
Bernardo’s ambition was clear from the moment he joined Celtic, having stated that he was aiming to claim O’Riley’s spot in the team, even if the Dane had stayed.
“This was a polished performance which again suggests he’s got the tools,” Sutton added.
At just 22 years old, Bernardo has plenty of potential for further development. His display at the weekend showed several encouraging signs, and it’s clear he will only improve as he gains more experience.
Celtic appears to have made another shrewd piece of business by signing the Benfica academy graduate for just £3.5m. Given his early promise, it wouldn’t be surprising if the midfielder generates a substantial profit for the club in the coming years.