Time to cut tie with him, his wages are unjustified” Brendan Rodgers TOLD to sell player fast in January and…..

Celtic FC: Time to Cut Ties with Underperforming Alexandro Bernabei

Celtic FC has established itself as a launching pad for talented young players seeking to make a name in European football. The likes of Virgil van Dijk, Victor Wanyama, Fraser Forster, Odsonne Edouard, Moussa Dembele, and Kieran Tierney have all benefited from their time in Glasgow before moving on to bigger leagues.

Recent sales of Jota to Al Ittihad for £25m and Matt O’Riley to Brighton & Hove Albion for over £25m demonstrate Celtic’s ability to capitalize on their youth development. However, not every player achieves success.

Alexandro Bernabei, an Argentine left-back, is one such example. Signed from Lanus in 2022 for £3.75m under Ange Postecoglou, Bernabei has failed to establish himself in Glasgow. His loan move to Brazilian side Internacional in March, set to expire at the end of 2024, may become permanent.

Internacional Plans Talks with Celtic

According to The Scottish Sun, Internacional aims to secure Bernabei’s permanent transfer in the January window. Celtic’s strong negotiating position, given Bernabei’s contract until 2027, could help them recoup a significant portion of the initial transfer fee.

Bernabei’s Underwhelming Performance

Comparing Bernabei’s £5.5k-per-week wages to Liam Scales’ £5k-per-week highlights the disparity in their contributions. Scales has been instrumental in Celtic’s success, playing 45 senior games last season and earning a spot in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year.

Bernabei’s defensive liabilities are evident in his 2022/23 campaign statistics:

• 15 appearances (9 starts) in the Premiership
• Dribbled past 14 times in 9 starts
• Lost 60% of physical duels

His performances in the Brazilian top-flight with Internacional show some promise but also reveal persistent issues:

• 19 appearances
• 7 goals and assists
• 4.7 tackles and interceptions per game
• Dribbled past 1.3 times per game
• 47% duel success rate

Rodgers Must Act

Brendan Rodgers should capitalize on Internacional’s interest and offload Bernabei in January. His underwhelming performances and significant wages justify this decision.

By selling Bernabei, Celtic can:

1. Remove unnecessary wages from the books
2. Recoup a portion of the initial transfer fee
3. Create space for more promising talent

Conclusion

Celtic’s history of developing and selling talented players is well-documented. While Bernabei hasn’t lived up to expectations, his potential sale can benefit the club financially and create opportunities for growth.