NafisaCeltic favourite Aiden McGeady admits he would be “surprised” if midfielder Arne Engels remains at Parkhead beyond this summer because of the growing speculation surrounding his future.
The Belgian midfielder attracted three separate offers from Nottingham Forest during the January transfer window, including a dramatic £25million bid submitted late on Deadline Day.
Celtic refused to budge at the time, making it clear the 22-year-old was not available for transfer. But with Forest now reportedly preparing to return with another attempt in the summer, McGeady believes Engels’ future in Glasgow looks increasingly uncertain.
Engels, who has also been linked with Bundesliga side RB Leipzig and Italian outfit Lazio, arrived at Celtic from Augsburg in August 2024 for a club-record fee of £11million.
Although his performances have occasionally fluctuated during his time in Scotland, the midfielder has still become an influential figure in Celtic’s engine room, particularly in an area where depth has often been questioned.
The ongoing interest and sizeable bids coming in for him only reinforce the idea that Engels perfectly fits Celtic’s long-standing transfer strategy, which focuses on signing promising young talent, developing them and eventually selling for major profit.
Celtic midfielder has had ‘head turned’ amid transfer speculation:
Speaking on Go Radio’s Football Show podcast, McGeady was asked about the reported interest from RB Leipzig and admitted he feels the constant rumours are telling.
“Well last time we were on here it was Lazio. I think with all these rumours keep coming up, they don’t come from nowhere, do they? I think it’d be surprised if he’s still there beyond the summer.
“I think with two or three bits coming in January from Forest, I think he’s had his head turned. He’ll be away in the summer. I’m glad that he’s back in the team because Celtic need him back in the team. Engels is a very good player. But Celtic’s model is bringing in players, developing them on and selling them for a profit. He would be another one to fall into that bracket.”
McGeady knows exactly how the system works from personal experience.
The former Republic of Ireland international was once Celtic’s record sale when he completed a £9.5million switch to Spartak Moscow in 2009. That record has since been eclipsed by Brighton midfielder Matt O’Riley, who left Parkhead for the Premier League in 2024 in a £25million move.
If Engels departs during the upcoming transfer window, there is every chance he could break that figure once again.
Engels tipped to follow familiar Celtic pathway:
McGeady also pointed towards Celtic’s recent transfer history as another reason why he believes Engels could be heading towards the exit door sooner rather than later.
He added:
“I think when you’re bringing in players from the continent who are young and you’re giving them the platform and exposure to European football, and developing them as a player, at some point you know you’re going to lose them.
“It’s happened so many times for Celtic in the past. (Virgil) Van Dijk, Victor Wanyama, (Fraser) Forster, Matt O’Reilly. The list goes on. When you look back at that, Celtic’s track record of doing that has been exemplary and Engels could be next.”
With interest continuing to intensify across Europe, Celtic may soon face another huge decision over one of their most valuable assets.
Nafisa
