Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has revealed that his future beyond this season will be decided with his family at the centre of the conversation, as he enters the final stretch of his current deal at Parkhead.
The Denmark international has just over six months remaining on his contract, which is due to expire in the summer of 2026. The club and player have an agreement in place to sit down in February or March to discuss the next steps.
Speaking to media back home, Schmeichel was clear that while football decisions are important, they come second to stability for his children, who are approaching a crucial stage in their education.
He said to BT:
“My private life is not something I talk about publicly. But it is not something we have not experienced before. It is part of being a footballer that sometimes other situations arise.
I have children of an age where they are going to take their final exams and things like that. They need some stability in their lives. There are many considerations, but ultimately the situation is what it is.”
He added:
“There are some slightly bigger plans in the big picture, but it’s not something I’m going to talk to anyone about. It’s me and my family.”
Schmeichel has played a major role for Celtic this season, keeping seven clean sheets in 11 league games and producing big performances under interim boss Martin O’Neill.
While speculation will naturally grow as the months pass, it’s clear the 39-year-old won’t rush any decision and that the discussions early next year will be crucial in determining whether his Celtic journey continues.
Vini Sinisalo has been Kasper Schmeichel’s understudy since he arrived at Celtic nearly 18 months ago.
He was Celtic’s cup keeper under Brendan Rodgers this season, but Martin O’Neill opted for the Dane at Hampden Park against Rangers in the League Cup semi-final.
Speaking last week, the Finnish international vented his frustrations:
“Of course, every footballer wants to play. That’s what I want to do too.
“We have to see what happens.
“As I said, playing is really important. It’s hard to say more at this point, but you can never say no to anything.
“The only thing I want to do in football is play. I always miss that. It is the biggest thing we all want to do. Nobody wants to just watch from the stands. The hunger is strong, and the desire to perform is even stronger.
“Let’s see if the opportunity arises.”
