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Johnny Kenny to remain at Celtic, Paulo Bernardo loan move explained
One player very much expected to leave the club is striker Johnny Kenny, who’s been heavily linked with a move south of the border, with Bolton Wanderers leading the chase to sign the Republic of Ireland international…
Kenny spent a successful loan spell at the Trotters in the second half of last season scoring six goals as the league one side gained promotion to the Championship, although cruelly the former Sligo Rovers striker missed the Wembley play off win over Stockport due to a season ending knee injury.
The 23 year old has spent pre-season fighting back to fitness with his parent club, and it now looks as if he’s been handed a reprieve, with assistant manager Shaun Maloney revealing that the fringe man held talks with Martin O’Neill, and is set to stay put in Glasgow.
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Midseason Friendly, Tolka Park, Dublin 7 7 2026 Shelbourne vs Celtic Johnny Kenny and Liam Scales of Celtic Johnny Kenny and Liam Scales. Photo IMAGO
There was some online chatter about the man from Sligo not being allocated a squad number, but Maloney rubbished those rumours, and declared that Johnny will be staying put to battle Kasper Hogh, Camilo Duran, and Callum Osmand for a starting XI slot.
Maloney said: “At the moment, yeah. I think he spoke to Martin and he’s staying. He’s part of the squad. I think there was something online about the squad number, that was incorrect.
“So, yeah, Johnny’s part of the squad. I’d say he’s just about fit now. He hasn’t been fit during pre-season. He’s one of ours and he’s fighting to get minutes on the pitch.”
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Paulo Bernardo of Celtic in action against AC Milan during Celtic v AC Milan in a pre-season friendly at Celtic Park on July 25, 2026. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)
Paulo Bernardo loan move explained by Shaun Maloney
One player who won’t be at the club is Paulo Bernardo, who recently joined Polish side Gornik Zabrze on a season long loan, with an option to buy next summer.
Maloney admitted that the former Portuguese under 21 skipper needed a new challenge to kickstart his career.
The Celtic assistant manager, as reported by Daily Record, said: “Paulo and Martin spoke. There was a loan offer for him in January and we really wanted him to stay. He’s a brilliant professional and a great player, but he needed to play games.
“Paulo and Martin came to the decision that if he wasn’t going to be a regular here, he should go and get games.“
He is a great professional, a great guy and trains 100 per cent every day, even when he doesn’t make the squads. We will see where he is at in 12 months’ time.”
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3rd August 2026 Celtic Park, Scottish Premiership, Celtic versus Dundee Celtic Manager Martin O Neill arrives for the match. Photo David Young Action Plus/IMAGO
Martin O’Neill likely to miss Celtic’s match at Rugby Park this afternoon
By that time of course it will not be a matter for Martin O’Neill who stated on Monday evening ahead of the game against Dundee that he would definitely only do one season and would not look to take up the option of another year if it is offered by the club.
There’s now some context to this as Martin was clearly poorly on Monday and again on Tuesday before going into hospital for a minor procedure. Shaun Maloney confirmed that he’d seen Martin at home of Thursday evening and that he was feeling much better.
Whether he makes the game at Rugby Park today isn’t know as a decision was going to be taken yesterday. It seems unlikely though and there’s no problem at all with Maloney leading the team down at Kilmarnock this afternoon.
Just an Ordinary Bhoy
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