Joe Hart has opened up on his decision to retire from professional football.

The Celtic goalkeeper confirmed that he will be hanging his boots up at the end of the current campaign but reaffirmed his commitment to help the Parkhead side fight for the league and Scottish Cup.

Hart has enjoyed a glittering career, including winning the Premier League with Manchester City on two occasions and also being capped by England 75 times.

And the 36-year-old made clear he wanted to be upfront with the club about his mindset.

Speaking to Celtic TV, he said: "We're here because I want to get the message out that as of June I'm going to stop playing professional football.

"This is something that I've thought about for a while. There's no right or wrong time, is there?

"But the way this club works, there's so much heart and soul poured into what we're doing as a football club.

"But with the grand scheme of the club and the support base, and the conversations that go on around, there's obviously a conversation around the goalkeeping position for next season.

"So I just think it was really important that with the blessing of the club... I've had the conversations with the club Brendan and Stevie Woods that we get the message out and it takes one thing off the table that people need to speculate over. 

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"I'm definitely not going to be there next season. I wanted to take that off the table, so we can talk about why and then push forward."

Hart has won five trophies during his time in Glasgow since arriving in the summer of 2021.

And the shot-stopper insists he has plenty to give between now and the end of the season

"I feel like my game is in a really good place at the moment," he continued. "I've gone down every avenue I can to keep myself in the best possible shape and position come game day and right now I'm at that.

"I really do feel like come gameday I really do peak. But I'm aware that time waits for no man and I don't want my body to be retiring me.

"So that was one of the key factors, thinking that I can smash through the finishing line."