Celtic sign Paulo Bernardo from Benfica on loan with option to buy

Celtic have completed the loan signing of Benfica midfielder Paulo Bernardo with an option to buy the 21-year-old.

The Hoops signed Honduras winger Luis Palma and on-loan Liverpool defender Nat Phillips earlier this week and the arrival of Bernardo could be their final piece of business.

When asked if there could be some late deals, manager Brendan Rodgers said earlier: “I’m not so sure. I don’t think there will be many more coming in.”

Ismaila Soro earlier left Celtic for Beitar Jerusalem – 19 months after his final appearance for the club – and another out-of-favour player, Albian Ajeti, was set to seal a move to Turkish football.

Rodgers also expected Sead Haksabanovic to depart after the midfielder appeared to express frustration over a lack of game time on social media.

The Celtic boss said: “Haksa is one of those that will look for game time and want to be a starter. So I would expect him to be moved on.”

Rangers manager Michael Beale was not expecting a busy evening after signing nine players earlier in the window, although reports later claimed the club had rejected Stoke’s bid for centre-back Ben Davies.

“We don’t have any injuries so the squad is looking healthy, the squad size has come down in size and average age so we are good to go,” Beale said.

“Naturally every manager is going to sit here and say they would like one more but if we don’t then I am happy with the squad we have got moving forward.”

On the potential for outgoings, he said: “We front-loaded early in terms of our recruitment, it might be a loan maybe for one of the younger members of the squad,” he said.

“But unless I receive a phone call in the short period then it won’t be one which is drawn out late into the evening.”

Dundee confirmed the first incoming signing of the cinch Premiership on deadline day by bringing in Burnley winger Marcel Lewis on loan until January. The 21-year-old was previously on Chelsea’s books and has played for Union St Gilloise and Accrington.

St Johnstone signed two players – 28-year-old Austrian midfielder Sven Sprangler following a trial period and 25-year-old Charlton winger Diallang Jaiyesimi on a season-long loan.

Motherwell signed 19-year-old left-back Georgie Gent from Blackburn on loan until the end of the season in a deal which is expected to be their final piece of summer business.

Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes was still looking for a striker going into the final hours of the window.

“Nobody will be going out,” McInnes said. “We are still trying to bring someone in. Everyone is working flat out to do that.

“We have one in particular and two or three other plates spinning but we are trying to lean on everything possible to get this done. I’m optimistic and you have to be without being overly-confident.”

St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson warned that none of his players would be sold on the cheap after Aberdeen made an approach for Australia midfielder Keanu Baccus.

“There hasn’t been a formal bid, there have been conversations between the two clubs,” Robinson said. “No club has met our valuation on any player, including Keanu at this stage and I don’t expect them to.

“We are not in a position where we were last year when we had to take offers for players that were below market value. We have steadied the ship and got our finances right.”

Robinson added: “I don’t intend doing any business in. We have put our squad together, we have got the players in we wanted and we are happy with that.

“We have strengthened the squad from last year and if the window closed now, I would be very happy.”

Ross County were looking to add one more while they awaited news on Sunderland forward Ross Stewart’s prospective move to Southampton, which would land them a seven-figure sell-on fee.

Livingston were not anticipating any late arrivals but loaned defender Morgan Boyes to Inverness for the season.