Arne Engels’ Celtic departure is still firmly on the cards, with West Ham United reportedly preparing a third bid for the Belgian midfielder.
Celtic have already rejected two Engels offers from the Hammers, with Martin O’Neill making it clear that West Ham’s valuation was well short of what the club expected.
Nottingham Forest tested Celtic’s resolve on the final day of the winter window. Their offer, worth up to £25 million, was turned down.
Engels arrived from Augsburg in August 2024 for a then club-record £11 million fee, and Celtic have been in no mood to sell him cheaply.
That stance could now be seriously tested.
Journalist Alan Nixon reports that West Ham are ready to return with an offer of £25 million up front, with another £5 million available in add-ons.
A £30 million package is a very different proposition from the bids Celtic have already rejected.
The timing is far from ideal.
Celtic had hoped to keep Engels for the Champions League play-off against LASK Linz, with the first leg on August 19 before the return in Austria on August 25.
If West Ham put the reported money on the table before then, keeping Engels becomes a much tougher call.
The 22-year-old made his 100th Celtic appearance in Sunday’s 5-1 hammering of Kilmarnock and marked it by setting up Kasper Hogh for the opening goal after just 63 seconds.
His performance also said plenty about his current attitude.
Engels spoke to Shaun Maloney on the eve of the Kilmarnock game and made clear that he wanted to produce a big performance. He followed through on that at Rugby Park.
There has been nothing in his performances to suggest he is preparing to down tools in an attempt to force Celtic’s hand.
The club, meanwhile, continue to have midfield options on their radar.
January target Niko Sigur has reportedly returned to Celtic’s thinking, while Torino midfielder Gvidas Gineitis remains another option.
Mika Baur has also been granted permission to travel to Glasgow to finalise a move from Paderborn.
Baur’s potential arrival, though, looks more closely connected to Reo Hatate’s situation than Engels’. There are greater similarities between Baur and Hatate in terms of their style and role.
Engels is the one West Ham are pushing hardest for, and a reported bid of £25 million plus another £5 million would force Celtic into a major decision.
For now, he remains a Celtic player and is performing like one. Whether Celtic can still say the same if West Ham’s third bid lands is another matter.
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