Arne Engels has been linked with West Ham United as speculation around his Celtic future continues to build.
The Belgian midfielder is expected to attract interest this summer after a mixed but productive second season in Glasgow. Celtic paid a club-record £11 million to sign him in 2024, and he remains a player who attracts attention across Europe.
The latest link comes from The West Ham Way Patreon, which reports: “Celtic’s Arne Engels is also firmly on the radar. The Belgium international caught the eye during their successful Championship winning team.”
The wording around the Championship appears to be a mistake, with Engels part of Celtic’s Premiership-winning side rather than a Championship team. Still, the interest itself is worth noting, especially with West Ham now preparing for life outside the Premier League.
That is where the obvious question comes in.
Could West Ham afford the sort of fee Celtic would demand?
Celtic rejected deadline-day bids from Nottingham Forest in the January window, with the final offer reportedly reaching £25m. Since then, Engels has changed agents and further exit talk has emerged, with AC Milan also credited with interest.
If Celtic are forced into a sale, they will not want it to be quiet or quick. They will want a market.
West Ham may well admire Engels, but they are unlikely to be the only club looking at him. Midfielders with his age, physical profile and international background do not tend to sit on one shortlist. Celtic know that.
Engels still divides opinion among supporters. There were flashes of real quality, especially when he was able to drive forward and play with confidence. There were also games where he struggled to take control in midfield, which is not unusual for a young player adapting to Celtic and Scottish football.
That does not change his value.
Celtic paid heavily to bring him in and will expect a healthy return if he leaves. They also know English clubs have money, even after relegation, but West Ham’s situation makes the move more complicated than it would have been a few months ago.
This report is likely to be one of many around Engels this summer.
For Celtic, the ideal outcome is clear. Either Engels stays and develops into the player they believe they signed, or enough clubs get involved to push the price to a level that makes selling him worthwhile.
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