Arne Engels is back at Celtic for pre-season, but the uncertainty around his future has not gone away.
The Belgian midfielder remains one of the main names to watch this summer, with Belgian outlet Walfoot reporting that Nottingham Forest could come back in for him after failing with a major January move.
Celtic rejected a £25m bid from Forest during the winter window, a decision that became more important as the season developed. Engels stayed, played his part in the title run-in, and helped Martin O’Neill’s side finish the job after Hearts had threatened to make things uncomfortable.
Now the situation may be about to come back around.
Walfoot claims Forest could move back to the front of the queue, with the Premier League club potentially boosted by Elliot Anderson’s proposed big-money switch to Manchester City.
That does not mean Celtic have received a fresh offer. But it does suggest Forest could soon have the financial room to test Celtic again.
Engels arrived from Augsburg as Celtic’s record signing and still has time on his side. At 22, he remains a player with clear resale value, which is why Celtic will be in no rush to accept anything short of a serious offer.
There is also a timing issue. The Belgian report claims Engels wants clarity quickly, with any move needing to be sorted either next week or early the following week so he can have a full pre-season wherever he plays.
That puts pressure on all parties.
For Celtic, this is a major early-window call. Keeping Engels would give O’Neill a talented midfielder who should still have another level to reach. Selling him would only make sense if the money is strong enough to reshape the squad in several areas.
Either way, Engels being back at Lennoxtown does not end the story. It may only be the start of a decisive couple of weeks.
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