PORTO ALEGRE, BRAZIL - AUGUST 4: Alexandro Bernabei of Internacional makes an attempt on target during the match between Internacional and Palmeiras as part of Brasileirao 2024 at Beira-Rio Stadium on August 4, 2024 in Porto Alegre, Brazil. (Photo by Pedro H. Tesch/Getty Images)
Brendan Rodgers gave a lukewarm reply to the prospect of Alexandro Bernabei returning to Celtic next month.
The Argentinian appears to be a player completely reborn since moving on loan to Internacional in March.
The fact that Rodgers sanctioned that move with no natural back-up to Greg Taylor suggests that the Celtic boss had little faith in Bernabei making a positive contribution.
After a slowish start to life in Brazil Bernabei has become a real driving force at Internacional where an 14 match unbeaten run has lifted them into fifth place in Serie A.
Those performances have generated plenty of attention in both Brazil and Argentina but it seems that his status at Celtic is unaltered.
Asked about Bernabei (13 minutes)
I think it’s great that he’s gone away and done well and sometimes you just find that. I think he’d been here for a period of time it hadn’t worked out as probably what he or the club would have wanted and sometimes that happens you go away, you go back into a different culture or a different life and back into obviously South America for him and the reports that I hear is that he’s done well, but there’s nothing more to add than that. He’ll finish his spell there and then we’ll look at that and see where that’s at come January.
Earlier this year Mikey Johnston enjoyed a similar bounce in his form at West Brom, returned to pre-season at Celtic and featured in some early season matches before a permanent move was completed to the Championship club.
Last season Bernabei was left out of Celtic’s Champions League squad, from the comments above it seems unlikely that he is about to be part of Rodgers’ plans going forward.
