Kasper Schmeichel never wanted to leave Leicester City but regrets heading abroad after his time at the King Power Stadium came to an end.
City’s title-winning goalkeeper has reiterated that, had he had his way, he would not have departed the club in the summer of 2022.
Schmeichel was one of City’s top earners and the club offloaded him amid looming problems around Profit and Sustainability Rules.
It was not a decision that worked out as Schmeichel’s deputy Danny Ward underwhelmed and City suffered relegation, something they are still feeling the effects of now as they again battle to stay in the league.
But while Schmeichel headed to France, joining Nice, he said he would not leave the UK given that choice again.
Having initially left Nice to join Anderlecht in Belgium, he is now back on British soil with Celtic.
Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, sponsored by Sky Bet, Schmeichel said: “I’ve heard Roy (Keane) mention a few times about having a foreign adventure – I’ve had that, obviously I didn’t go to one of the top clubs, but if I could go back, I would never have done that.
“The Premier League for me is the be all and end all – it is the best without any shadow of a doubt. Now that I’ve tried that, the lesson I’ve taken from that is, the British game is unique, and I don’t want to leave that.
“You’re in this bubble as a Premier League player and you don’t realise how big it is. Going abroad – as much as there’s learning within it – I wouldn’t do it if I could go back.
“I didn’t want to leave to start off with, but the situation was what it was. The British game is what I grew up in and I love the mentality of having to win every single game.”
Schmeichel has another year on his Celtic contract and so will be playing until he’s at least 39. He has not even thought about hanging up his gloves yet.
“I’ve never thought of limitations – I’ve not thought about retirement,” he said. “Is there a better job out there than being a footballer?
“While I am physically able, I know there’s not something better waiting for me right now. What I do now is I appreciate it more than ever.”
The latest Leicester City headlines sent straight to your phone
Get the latest Leicester City news sent straight to your phone by joining our Foxes WhatsApp community. Just click here and select ‘Join Community’ to get started.
No one will be able to see your personal information in the community and you will only receive messages from the LeicestershireLive sports team. We will not spam your WhatsApp feed with constant messages, but you will receive updates from us daily with the latest City stories. All you need to participate in this free service is to have WhatsApp on your phone.
If for some reason you decide you no longer want to be in our community, you can leave at any time by clicking on the name at the top of your screen and then 'Exit Group'. It's as simple as that. You can read our Privacy Notice HERE.
Would City have stayed up in 22-23 if they had kept Schmeichel? Click HERE to have your say.