Belgium legend Toby Alderweireld has reminded Celtic fans of what they already know about a potential Arne Engels exit this summer. The midfielder has been patiently awaiting his big move, with Celtic having turned down a ÂŁ25million offer from Nottingham Forest back in January.
Celtic rejected the offer, and to Engels' credit, he kept his head down and went on to play an important part in the Bhoys winning a league and cup double, fighting back from a rather bleak position to come out on top in the league.
Fast-forward a few months, and Engels is now expected to get his big move, as long as Celtic's asking price is met. West Ham, who have plenty of cash after making over ÂŁ140million on Sandro Tonali and Crysencio Summerville, are said to be the furthest along, but Martin O'Neill maintains they were not close to meeting the asking price with their early advances.
A number of other Premier League sides have also been linked, and there is said to be interest elsewhere in Europe. In the meantime, Engels played for Celtic in their league opener, against Dundee, on Monday night, and while it wasn't his best game, he continued to remind fans of the hole he will leave behind when he does go.
Alderweireld on Engels loss
Speaking to Hajper, the former Spurs and Belgium defender said: "Arne Engels has shown us how special he is by playing week in, week out, proving himself for Celtic, and he will not be easy to replace.
“Players who are consistent are always so important. Anyone can have a YouTube compilation made about them even if they only play well every four games but to be a player who is always seven out of 10 every week, that’s what a manager wants. He will be a big loss to Celtic.”
Ultimately, there isn't a whole lot Celtic can do about the loss of the 22-year-old. who is due his big move, and they are never going to spend ÂŁ25million to replace him, meaning a drop-off is inevitable.
Celtic have typically done a great job of identifying talent, so there will be some confidence on that front, but there is the ongoing challenge of actually getting players through the door.
The Bhoys can't seem to get out of their own way when it comes to signing players this summer, and they should have been far more proactive when it came to replacing Engels, even if he doesn't leave until the end of the window.
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