Inside Kasper Schmeichel to Celtic transfer as Dane reveals speedy Brendan Rodgers exchange that sealed the deal

Kasper Schmeichel should be perfectly used to this by now.

Come to think of it, he’s made a habit of following in the glove prints of Joe Hart since the pair of them were competing for a first team game at Manchester City. So perhaps it was written in the stars all along that the Dane would pick up the mantle that Hart left behind when the veteran called time on his professional career and stepped down as Celtic’s No.1 at the end of last season with a league and cup double for a retirement gift.

Schmeichel was watching his old pal’s glittering goodbye from afar. Not realising that he was about to become his successor. Again. But knowing deep deep down that he wanted a bit of the good life that Hart had just experienced. So when he pitched up at Parkhead for his official unveiling as Celtic’s new first choice keeper, the 37-year-old was already eagerly anticipating an Indian summer of his own.

“I hoped it’d happen but I had absolutely no indication or inkling,” Schmeichel said from behind a beaming smile. “It was a very nice surprise, it was very unexpected and I’d literally just gone on holiday with my family having finished the Euros and I was thinking: ‘When is something going to happen?’

“Then, all of a sudden, I got a text from Brendan and we agreed on it quite fast. He asked: ‘Do you have time for a quick chat?’ After that it was a very easy decision.”

And it was at that moment the Denmark skipper realised he was about to set off on Hart’s journey – almost two decades after the pair were students at City’s goalkeeping school, glued to videos of the greatest goalies in the game.

“Who would have thought it?” he grinned. “Mine and Joe’s history is well documented. I was at City before him. I was on loan at Bury and we