Celtic appear to be close to finalizing a deal for Paulo Bernardo.

The attacker, who spent last season on loan with Brendan Rodgers’ team, impressed the club with his performances. However, Celtic were hesitant to purchase him at the pre-agreed fee.

Believing they could renegotiate with Benfica, especially since it’s widely known in Lisbon that Bernardo has no place in the squad for the upcoming season, Celtic sought a better deal.

According to Monday’s edition of Record, Benfica played a friendly match in France against Almeria on Sunday, and Bernardo, along with others considered surplus to requirements, was not included in the squad. The Portuguese newspaper reports that the player is “in the final stages of negotiations” for a permanent move to Celtic.

Previous reports indicated that while Celtic sought a discount, Benfica demanded a higher percentage of any future sale, with figures rumored to be as high as 50%. This has likely contributed to the protracted negotiations between the two clubs.