In one of his recent posts, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano shared an update on Kasper Schmeichel’s future. The veteran custodian is set to reunite with his former boss Brendan Rodgers at Celtic in an initial one-year contract. There would be an option to extend it till June 2026.
🚨🟢 Kasper Schmeichel, set to become new Celtic GK — understand contract will be valid until June 2025.
Deal will also include an option for further season, until June 2026. pic.twitter.com/RjugRddX5A
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 12, 2024
The Hoops have been looking for a new ‘number 1’ since Joe Hart decided to hang up his gloves at the closure of the 2023-24 season. It was a perfect farewell for the Three Lions star as he helped them win the Scottish Cup by keeping a clean sheet against bitter rivals Rangers.
He joined them in his mid-thirties and guarded the goal for three successive campaigns. And Schmeichel, slightly older than his ex-Manchester City teammate, could become a like-for-like replacement between the sticks.
Kasper, the son of legendary Peter Schmeichel, had brief youth stints in Portugal and Denmark with Estoril and Oure before joining the academy ranks of Man City following a successful trial. But he mostly spent his time out on loan in Scotland and the lower leagues of England with Darlington, Bury, Falkirk, Cardiff and Coventry City. Despite impressing against Manchester United and Arsenal, the big Dane could not grab a starting status ahead of Hart. He left for Port Vale in League Two but joined Leeds United in the Championship a year later.
A Like-for-like Replacement In Celtic Goal?
Although the move to Leeds did not work out due to his father’s history during his Man United days, a transfer to Leicester City the next summer changed his career forever. He not only played a key role in earning a top-flight promotion but also exhibited his expertise during their fairy-tale 2015-16 Premier League triumph. The Foxes also clinched the FA Cup in 2021 and Schmeichel, after 11 seasons and 479 appearances, left the club in 2022 in favour of a €1m transfer to Nice.
After spending a season each with Nice and Anderlecht, the 37-year-old Denmark international is expected to complete a Bosman transfer in the coming days. The Bhoys have retained Scott Bain as the second fiddle, but they must secure a project signing who could succeed Schmeichel in the long run.
Outcast Benjamin Siegrist wants to leave ‘as soon as possible‘ and it remains to be seen whether the Northern Irish boss ties down another shot-stopper later in the transfer window.
