Turning down a move to the Premier League and everything on offer there isn’t something most players would do, so turning down three clubs from England’s top flight is even more unusual.
Friday’s edition of Ekstra Bladet reports that’s exactly what Kasper Schmeichel did in the summer. The Danish newspaper states the goalkeeper was wanted by Wolves, Nottingham Forest and Ipswich Town, but rejected all three to move to Celtic instead.
That’s partly because Brendan Rodgers’ side were able to offer Champions League football, and that aspect was a huge advantage for Celtic when it came to securing the Denmark international.
Ekstra Bladet quote the 37-year-old as saying: “Playing for the championship, as I am now doing at Celtic, and at the same time being at the highest level in the Champions League, motivates me.
“When I look back on my career, the moments I have enjoyed the most have been the few matches I have had in the Champions League.
“Of course the Premier League has a very special place in my heart, but for me it was an easy choice to go to Celtic, where I have come to a club that plays in the Champions League, must win every game and has 60,000 for everyone the home games. Those is exactly the challenges that really motivate me.”
Schmeichel won the Premier League and FA Cup with Leicester City, so he’s got England’s top honours boxed off already.
He could have gone further afield than Celtic, chasing money and a last bumper contract, but that was also far from his mind when choosing a new club in the summer.
On that aspect, the goalkeeper simply said: “When it comes to football, money has never been a motivation for me.”
Now his attention will be on adding to his trophy cabinet and perhaps securing a longer term stay at Celtic.
