What Aston Villa said about Viljami Sinisalo as Celtic told they have a ‘real talent’

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Viljami Sinisalo was signed by Brendan Rodgers last summer for Celtic.

With Joe Hart’s retirement came a conundrum of who the Celtic manager was going to turn to to take over the reins from the treble-winning Hoops keeper.

As it turned out, Kasper Schmeichel was given that task with Viljami Sinisalo being brought in as the backup Celtic goalkeeper.

So far, Schmiechel has done a great job for the Hoops this season with 19 clean sheets, and as Sinisalo helped Hearts draw a blank at Celtic Park, Rodgers has been told he has signed a ‘real talent’.

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Alan Hutton has ‘heard good things’ about Celtic’s Viljami Sinisalo from Aston Villa

Former Aston Villa man Alan Hutton has shared what people at his former club and the fans thought about Sinisalo’s decision to leave for Celtic, as he says Brendan Rodgers has his future number one.

Hutton told The Scottish Football Social Club [34m], “I always knew he was a good goalkeeper because I’ve heard good things about him from obviously Aston Villa.

“Look, I genuinely think so [at becoming Celtic’s number one choice]. Look Kasper Schmeichel came in and did really well, so at this moment in time, he’ll still be the number one.

“But Sinalo I think they [Aston Villa] were looking at him, and I thought there were a few of the fans that were a little bit unhappy with him leaving.

“Not that he was going to go out and dislodge Martinez but I think for the future or whatever or moving forward there could have been an opportunity for him.”

Sinisalo has ‘all the attributes’ to be a ‘real good goalkeeper’ at Celtic

At just 23, Sinisalo still has plenty of time to develop, but Hutton also believes that with the talent he has right now, he’s just going to keep getting better and better at Celtic.

Hutton continued, “So I think he’s got all the attributes. He’s a good size. I think he’s calm with the ball, he makes good saves, as we’ve seen.

“I think moving forward he’s only going to get better. So when he starts to play and he’s going week from week I think that’s when you see the real talent and the real player coming through, and he’ll grow and evolve.

“So yeah, I think they’ve got a real good goalkeeper there.”

With Celtic’s next fixture against St Johnstone on Sunday and then Kilmarnock the following Saturday, Sinisalo has done his chances of retaining the jersey no harm with his performance against Hearts.

But with a potential treble on the line, the likelihood is that Rodgers will reinstate Schmeichel when he is fit, but at least Celtic fans know that if and when he is called upon, Sinisalo has shown that he is more than capable to be trusted between the sticks.