Viljami Sinisalo claimed Celtic’s number one gloves in an unorthodox fashion last season.
Usually, you would get your chance because of form, but Sinisalo became Celtic’s number one due to Kasper Schmeichel’s injury and then his subsequent retirement.
Despite helping Celtic to a domestic double last season, Sinisalo’s spot as the main guy isn’t cemented under Martin O’Neill.
Further questions are raised when O’Neill has publicly called for Celtic to sign ‘another goalkeeper’ during the 2026 summer transfer window.
O’Neill has stated, as posted by the Daily Record: “We need another goalkeeper. We’ve only got the two young lads, we’ve got Ross, and we’ve got Sinisalo, so we definitely need another goalkeeper. You need competition for places as well.
“I thought Sinisalo did really fine for us under really trying circumstances, coming in, replacing the big fellow, so he’s done fine at this minute. That was last season… new season.”
Does Manchester United goalkeeper Radek Vítek appeal to you, Celtic fans? 🍀🤔
Vítek has been linked with Celtic. Your thoughts…👇🍀
Viljami Sinisalo is better off leaving Celtic
All the keepers Celtic have been linked with are number ones, even if it isn’t at their parent clubs.
For instance, Radek Vitek is on Manchester United’s books, but was loaned to Bristol City last season, where he excelled and is now wanted by Celtic.
There is no way he is leaving United, on loan or permanently, just to sit on the bench at Parkhead.
The same applies to Las Palmas’ Dinko Horkas, with suggestions that the champions of Scotland have had ‘two offers rejected’ for his services.
Sinisalo signed from Aston Villa in 2024, during the same summer as Schmeichel and when Joe Hart had just retired.
But the Finland international has made it clear that he has ‘never been shy’ about wanting to be the main guy between the sticks.
This is what Sinisalo stated back in April:
“I never put a time limit on when I would become number one,” said Sinisalo. “I always had a strong belief it would come. I always worked as if I were a number one. I have never been shy about saying that.”
Even Pat Bonner has called for Sinisalo to be number one
Last season, when Schmeichel was still playing for Celtic, Pat Bonner stated that it should be Sinisalo in between the sticks.
The legendary Irish keeper made this clear on several occasions.
“Schmeichel, listen, he was a wonderful goalkeeper,” said Bonner on the BBC last September.
“Fantastic career, and he started his career up here, remember, and went on to do fantastic things. He has got to a stage in his life now where I would probably go with Sinisalo to maybe start games, and he would be the back-up.”
Added to that, Sinisalo turns 25 in October, and he has proven that he is more than ready to be trusted with the main gloves.
But if Celtic are to bring someone else in, and going by O’Neill’s comments, it will be someone senior, then that’s their choice.
It will be a mistake, but there is no point in Sinisalo waiting around and sitting on the bench, because he is wasting his talents otherwise.
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
