Sky Sports report that Celtic are are believed to be mulling over the latest offer from Nottingham Forest for Arne Engels, with the deadline-day bid pushing the club into talks they did not expect to be having at this stage of the window.

Forest’s offer, which could reach £25 million, goes well beyond their earlier attempts and puts real pressure on Celtic’s stance. Engels remains the club’s record signing, arriving for £11 million in 2023, and the plan had always been to develop the side with him at the centre rather than cash in quickly when Premier League interest appeared.

From a football point of view, the timing is far from ideal. Engels has become a trusted option in high-level games, particularly in Europe, where his comfort on the ball and awareness in central areas have helped Celtic play through pressing teams. With league games coming thick and fast and European knockout ties on the horizon, losing him now would create a gap that is difficult to address mid-season, even with a large fee available.

Engels has regularly been the link between the defence and attack, easing the burden on Callum McGregor and helping Celtic control games. Without him, that responsibility would fall onto Reo Hatate or Luke McCowan.

Still, the size of the offer changes the picture. Forest are proposing a fee that more than doubles Celtic’s investment in a short space of time. For a club that trades players carefully and reinvests, that kind of return cannot be ignored, even if the football argument points towards keeping him.

Everything now hinges on alternatives. If Celtic feel they can bring in a midfielder ready to take on Engels’ role straight away, the door opens. If not, resisting the bid may be the safer call, no matter how large the numbers look.