Celtic eyeing double deal to sign Motherwell manager and star player

Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has admitted his career might be over because of a serious shoulder injury.

Schmeichel’s Celtic career likely over

The veteran goalkeeper has been playing through the pain since hurting his left shoulder playing for Denmark last year and aggravated the problem against Stuttgart last month.

He has sat out the last five matches for Martin O’Neill’s side and was given the “devastating” diagnosis on a visit to a specialist on Monday.

Speaking to CBS Sports Golazo Network, Schmeichel said: “I’m going to need two surgeries now to fix my shoulder.

“It’s a bit of a body blow. I’ve torn the bicep, torn the rotator cuff, dislocated the shoulder, torn the labrum – everything’s kind of gone. It’s looking like 10-12 months of rehab.

“You don’t really know how to react to this. I could have potentially played my last ever football game. I’ve been a footballer since the day I was born. That kind of thought is devastating. It’s very, very hard to wrap my head around at the moment.”

The 39-year-old followed in the footsteps of his father Peter, who was an integral part of Manchester United’s glory years, and his career has extended over two decades.

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Schmeichel was a member of the Leicester side that won the Premier League in 2016 as well as the FA Cup five years later, moving on to Nice and Anderlecht before joining Celtic in the summer of 2024.

He will go under the knife for the first time on Friday, and he vowed to fight for his career through what will be a lengthy rehabilitation process.

“My mind is like, ‘OK, I’m going to give it absolutely everything I can to see if I can get back’,” he said.

“It would be probably one of the greatest feats of my career if I could get back from an injury like this. I’m going to fight, I’m going to try everything I can.”

The Hoops are set to have serious work to do this summer in rebuilding a squad which has failed to meet expectations so far this season, and they are looking to start with a double swoop from one of their Premiership rivals.

Celtic eyeing double deal for Motherwell duo

According to The Daily Record, Celtic are battling rival interest from Rangers to sign Motherwell sensation Elijah Just.

This comes amid links to the Steelmen’s manager, Jens Berthel Askou, who is thought to be at the top of the shortlist to replace Martin O’Neill on a permanent basis.

Just, a New Zealand international, moved to Fir Park last summer and has proved an instant hit, scoring seven times in the top flight and ranking as Motherwell’s best player according to popular stat site Whoscored.

The 25 year-old, who can play on either wing, would likely settle easier under the bright lights at Parkhead if he arrived with his manager, who has won two manager of the month awards this season.