Paulo Bernardo explains Celtic exit as Martin O’Neill return possibility emerges

Paulo Bernardo has revealed what was said during his final conversations with Martin O’Neill before completing his loan move away from Celtic.

The Portuguese midfielder left Parkhead during the summer, joining Polish club Górnik Zabrze for the season. The agreement includes an option for the Polish side to make the transfer permanent.

Bernardo had plenty of admirers among the Celtic support, but regular first-team football remained difficult to come by during his time in Glasgow.

Brendan Rodgers often used him as a substitute last season, while Wilfried Nancy gave him opportunities to start during his brief spell in charge. When O’Neill took over, Bernardo eventually decided that a temporary exit was the right move for his development.

The midfielder explained that he spoke directly with O’Neill shortly before the transfer was completed.

Bernardo made it clear that his priority was simply to play more football, and he felt that opportunities would remain limited if he stayed at Celtic.

According to Bernardo, O’Neill was understanding about the situation and agreed that leaving on loan could benefit him.

The midfielder had enjoyed several memorable moments in a Celtic shirt, including his goal against Rangers at Celtic Park and his contribution to the club’s Scottish Cup success in 2024.

However, those moments never developed into a sustained run as one of Celtic’s regular midfield starters.

His move to Górnik has already provided the playing time he was looking for. Bernardo has featured 10 times across domestic and European competition and has been regularly included in the starting XI.

He has also gained European experience during qualifying matches and is now part of a Górnik side challenging near the top of the Polish Ekstraklasa.

Former Celtic teammate Luis Palma also helped convince Bernardo that a move to Poland could be the right step.

The biggest question now is whether Bernardo’s spell away from Parkhead eventually becomes permanent.

Górnik have an option to sign him for a reported fee of just over £3million, meaning his performances in Poland could ultimately determine whether Celtic see him return to Glasgow or complete a permanent departure.

For now, Bernardo appears focused on one thing: playing regularly and proving what he can do with consistent opportunities.