The 37-year-old departed Anderlecht at the end of last season, leaving his future up in the air as he went to Euro 2024 to represent Denmark. However, he has now taken on a fresh challenge by joining the Scottish Premiership giants.
He has penned a one-year deal, adding some much-needed experience to the goalkeeping department following the retirement of Schmeichel’s former Manchester City teammate Joe Hart. Schmeichel is due to fly to the USA to meet up with his new teammates on their pre-season tour.
Speaking to Celtic’s official website, Schmeichel said: “I am absolutely delighted to join Celtic and can’t wait to get started. Celtic is one of the world’s proper football clubs, a massive name and a place of real passion and success. Celtic is what football is all about.
“I know Brendan [Rodgers, Celtic boss] very well, too. He is a top manager and someone I can’t wait to work with again. I’m really looking forward to meeting up with the boys in America and start our work and then, of course, meet our fans who bring so much to Celtic. I will be doing all I can to keep Celtic on top and bring these brilliant supporters more and more success.”
Rodgers, Celtic’s manager since June 2023, worked with Schmeichel during the pair’s time at Leicester City. It is Schmeichel’s 11 years of service to the Foxes he is best known for but the stopper is also a familiar face in Yorkshire.
He spent the 2010/11 season between the sticks for Leeds, although has since admitted to finding life at Elland Road difficult. Speaking earlier this year on The Rest is Football podcast, he said: “I didn’t enjoy my time at Leeds, which is a shame, because it’s an incredible club.
“I think it was the wrong time, wrong place, wrong person. I was probably very immature in my way of being and I felt at the time, some of the things that were said about my dad [Manchester United legend Peter Schmeichel] were very disrespectful.”
