However, he then lost his place to Joe Hart and spent spells on
loan at Cardiff and Coventry, who had been keen on a permanent
move. Schmeichel has suggested he is unhappy with former City boss
Sven-Goran Eriksson for convincing him to sign his new deal and he
hopes current manager Mark Hughes will let him leave.
"I want to leave City - no question," Schmeichel told the
Daily Mirror. "It is heartbreaking every time you don't
play and one year sitting on the bench would not be good for my
development. "I have been trying to leave for a while because last
season, the week after I signed a contract, I was told I wasn't
playing.
"Sven was telling me he wanted me to play and let me develop,
and every day he was asking me about my contract situation. "But as
soon as I signed the contract, when I got to the hotel before
playing Newcastle away in September, I was told I wasn't
playing.
"At the time I was playing and I had a good offer of a good
contract, but it might have been a mistake to sign for the four
years. "I've been told there is no chance of me leaving, but I want
to play first-team football."