Celtic ‘evaluate’ £6m deal to re-sign ace as Rangers star hints at return by admitting Ibrox ‘feels like home’
The latest transfer news from Celtic and Rangers ahead of the summer window.
The Scottish Premiership season has now come to an end with Celtic once again retaining their status as Premiership winners and Scottish Cup holders.
Rivals Rangers, meanwhile, ended the season with a Scottish League Cup triumph, but were unable to add to their early season success after flirting with the title and reaching the final of the Scottish Cup.
At times Philippe Clement’s men looked to be the most consistent side in the division - they enjoyed a tremendous start to his reign from mid-October to March and a key catalyst in that run proved to be the form of Abdallah Sima who was consistently contributing with 10 goals and two assists before his hamstring injury in January.
Many fans felt the Brighton loanee would have been in the mix for the season’s top individual awards if it wasn’t for his injury, and many Gers supporters are keen for the 22-year-old to make his stay a permanent in the summer as they look to finally knock Brendan Rodgers’ side off their perch.
While Sima admits that the decision may not be his to make, if the choice is presented to him, he is likely to jump at the chance.
“It’s not up to me,” Sima told The Herald.
“I always say I feel at home here and I’m happy to be here. I’ve always loved to give everything for this shirt.
“As I say, this place feels like home and I feel everyone wants to stay in a place that feels like home, so we will see in the next few weeks.
“I think I can be proud of my season and happy with what I’ve contributed. I wanted to do more but of course I had a bad moment with my injury, which ruled me out for a long time. But I’m always looking forward and I’m not looking back.
“I really wanted to win the cup for the club, for my team-mates and I think we deserved to do that, to be honest.”
“But it wasn’t enough and now we need to look forward to next season.”
Celtic ‘evaluate’ £6m deal for Paulo Bernardo
Celtic are hoping to retain the services of Portuguese U21 international Paulo Bernardo after a productive season on loan from Benfica.
On Instagram, Bernardo shared images of his experiences with Celtic, captioning them with: “Grateful for this season. Thank you very very much for all the support.”
The 22-year-old midfielder made 33 appearances in all competitions at Parkhead, scoring four goals and providing three assists as the Hoops lifted the league and Scottish Cup double.
To secure the player permanently, the threshold to be reached is set at £6m, according to Portuguese outlet O Jogo, who add that the youngster is no longer a part of Benfica’s plans for the main squad following his return.