Celtic has officially announced the departure of left-back Alexandro Bernabei, who will be returning to South America to join Brazilian side Internacional on loan until the end of 2024.

The move comes with an option for Internacional to make the transfer permanent, a clause included in the negotiations of the deal.

Bernabei’s exit follows a period of reduced first-team involvement, particularly after Greg Taylor’s return from injury, which saw the Argentine defender fall down the pecking order. Even Tony Ralston, naturally a right-sided player, had been preferred as a backup option to Taylor.

The decision to loan out Bernabei has raised eyebrows considering the squad depth in the left-back position. Clyde 1 Super Scoreboard pundit Gordon Dalziel expressed his concerns regarding the move, highlighting the potential risk should Greg Taylor suffer an injury, given the intense schedule Celtic faces with their ongoing cup and league ambitions.

Dalziel said: “Where I am surprised is that Celtic fans were crying out for a left-back to cover Greg Taylor in January, there’s a lot of important games coming up, they’re still in the cup, they’re going for the league.

“What happens if, hopefully he doesn’t, Greg Taylor picks up a knock. I don’t know where the cover is. That’s my problem here.”

Bernabei, who was signed by former Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou, will now look to rejuvenate his career at Internacional, hoping to make a significant impact in Brazilian football. Meanwhile, Celtic’s management and coaching staff might have to explore alternative strategies or rely on the versatility of their current squad to address the left-back position as they continue their pursuit of silverware this season.