Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel arrived in the United States on Saturday night to meet club staff and his new teammates for the first time.
The Danish star made the trip over from Europe yesterday after the announcement of his signing on Thursday night.
Schmeichel has signed a one-year deal with the Scottish champions, although there’s the option to extend that until the summer of 2026.
He watched Celtic rout DC United 4-0 at Audi Field in Washington as another new signing, Viljami Sinisalo, made his debut in the second half of the friendly.
Finally in Celtic colours, Schmeichel gave his first interview since joining the club after the full-time whistle.
Kasper Schmeichel on Celtic vs DC United and supporters
He said [Celtic TV]: “It was a long journey but it feels good to be here, I’m really, really happy. They did well tonight – we could have had even more.
“It was a really good performance. These pre-season games can be really difficult. It was a poor pitch but I thought everyone handled it superbly.
Asked about his first experience of Celtic fans, he responded: “I’m not even surprised with the amount of supporters. I know the size of Celtic. I’ve come off holiday and there were Celtic fans at the hotel I was staying at. Even as I flew there were Celtic fans on the plane. It’s incredible to see but it just goes to show the size of the club.”
Joe Hart gives thumbs up to Schmeichel Celtic move
Schmeichel was also quizzed on his relationship with good friend Joe Hart and whether he’s been in touch with the man he’s replacing.
The new signing said: “I’ve spoken to Joe many times during the time he was here, leading up to his retirement and now since he’s been a pundit. He only had good things to say.
“I started following Celtic a lot closer when he joined and saw the admiration the fans had for him. He got an incredible send-off and it was fully deserved. I have big shoes to fill.”
Schmeichel is now due to join in with Celtic training in the coming days before potentially making a debut against Manchester City or, more likely, Chelsea over the coming week.
The goalkeeper is excited, stating: “I can’t wait. It’s been a whirlwind. I just want to get back to playing football now. I can’t wait.”
And asked about what he wants to achieve at Celtic, Schmeichel said brilliantly: “Trophies, trophies, trophies. That’s what football is about. It’s about winning. Coming to a club with such a rich history of winning and a culture of draws aren’t enough. That’s the one thing I really love about this club. That’s the mentality – to win every competition you’re in. I can’t wait.”
Schmeichel is very personable in front of the cameras and you can see some of that charisma Brendan Rodgers has spoken about in recent days. He talks a good game and many are predicting he’ll perform well on the pitch too.
With that winning mentality fuelling his switch to Celtic, it’s clear that he already knows what it takes to succeed here.
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