Celtic record signing makes Kevin De Bruyne claim

Celtic broke their transfer record this summer, previously held by Odsonne Edouard, when they signed Arne Engels from FC Augsburg for a transfer fee believed to be around £11 million. Truth be told, not many Hoops fans would have been aware of the Belgian midfielder before the rumours emerged. But the club definitely must be convinced about his potential, considering the magnitude of investment they made for someone who has not proven himself at the top level yet.

Engels made his Celtic debut in the biggest game possible, coming on as a substitute in the Glasgow Derby, as Brendan Rodgers' side got a comfortable 3-0 win against the Rangers. Then, he won his first cap for the Belgian national team.

It would be an understatement to say that big things are being expected from Engels. Now, it is up to him to develop and deliver.

He certainly seems eager to learn. And on the Belgian national team, he might just have the perfect role model in the form of Kevin De Bruyne. As reported by the Glasgow Times, Engels said:

"We have a very good squad and a lot of young players who are still learning a lot. I think we have a lot of promising guys who will be very good players. It’s an exciting time for us.

“We also still have guys like de Bruyne. You see what he does in training and in games. That is something you want to learn from and add to your game.

“He’s the captain and takes to everyone. It makes it easier when everyone is communicating and helping each other."

Celtic record signing makes Kevin De Bruyne claim

De Bruyne has achieved everything possible at club level with Manchester City. He is considered one of the best ever in Premier League history and might sit atop that list by the time he decides to call it a day and retire.

At international level, Belgium have not been able to achieve what was expected of their Golden Generation though. Most people believe that the chance has already passed them by.

Of course, De Bruyne is not someone who gives up easily. Hopefully, he will be looking to help out the Belgian youngsters in hopes that he can build a team capable of challenging for international honours. Someone like Engels would benfit from that.