Credit: Imago

Jack Dawson

Sat 21 March 2026 14:30, UK

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Celtic should end Kasper Schmeichel’s stay at the club early after Martin O’Neill admitted he did not know the severity of his injury.

The goalkeeper has been a controversial figure at Parkhead this season after a series of costly mistakes.

However, opinions on him overwhelmingly shifted to negative this week after he admitted to CBS live that he has likely played his last game for Celtic, with the keeper expected to be out of action for 10-12 months.

On top of this, he also admitted that he had been playing for the Hoops while injured before he was benched earlier in 2026.

Now, with the massive impact this has had on Celtic’s title race, O’Neill should seriously consider ripping up his contract.

Celtic should be furious with Kasper Schmeichel

Schmeichel has been shocking for a good portion of this campaign.

His inability to make simple stops has contributed to Celtic’s fall in the Scottish Premiership table, as well as their elimination from the Europa League.

Now, confirmation of his injury news has rightly earned the backlash of supporters, with the keeper clearly putting his interests above those of the club.

How O’Neill was kept in the dark about the severity of the injury is simply baffling, and the fact that it was only revealed to him via a CBS interview is insulting.

While the manager has since claimed he was happy with the goalkeeper’s performances, an early termination of his contract has to be looked at.

🗣️ “I genuinely didn’t know it was as severe as that. Disappointed to hear the news.”

Martin O’Neill on Kasper Schmeichel’s injury, the player playing through the pain, and his announcement about needing surgery. Watch Dundee Utd vs Celtic on Sunday, live on Sky Sports 📺 pic.twitter.com/IcRjwBJScn

— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) March 20, 2026

He has disrespected many at the club by keeping this news quiet, and he should not be rewarded for this by spending the next few months on the sidelines while getting paid.

It is clear that both parties need to move on in the summer, and the expiry of his contract cannot come soon enough.

What does the future hold for Celtic’s goalkeeping department?

Despite the expected departure of Schmeichel, Football Insider has exclusively revealed that Viljami Sinisalo could remain Celtic’s number one next season.

The goalkeeper has impressed since coming into the starting XI, and his form has proven to be a significant turning point in the title race.

As a result, a new number one may not be targeted by the Hoops in the upcoming summer transfer window.

However, it remains to be seen if Sinisalo can keep up this form and prove himself to whoever is in charge for the 2026-27 campaign.