‘I don’t care’ – What Arne Engels’ parents tell him about what his Celtic critics are saying

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Arne Engels has had a bit of an up-and-down season at Celtic, it’s fair today.

The Beligian international arrived at the club last summer with the burden of being Celtic’s most expensive player ever after Engels’ arrival Augsburg.

The £11m purchase outshone Brendan Rodgers’ last big payout after the Celtic manager bought Odsonne Edouard from PSG for £9m.

But at just 21, Rodgers has not just bought quality, he has brought in potential as Engels is already a full Belgian internationlist with a big career ahead of him.

Some people continually go on about his price tag but how does Engels really feel about being Celtic’s £11m man?

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How Arne Engels feels about Celtic paying £11m for him

To be Celtic’s most expensive ever player brings with it expectation and even a bit of pressure. Does Engels let that expectation get to him, though?

Speaking about his £11m price tag, Engels told The Herald, “I don’t care. I’m here to just perform, and to get better. I’m still young, I still need to learn. I think I have good numbers and good performances.

“It’s not about me, it’s about the team. I want to be here to help the team and win trophies.

“I think I’m in a good place, I’m doing well here. We are still in the place to get the three trophies. That was a big aim for me.

“I love [the pressure], it’s why you play football, to win trophies, and of course Celtic is a massive club.”

What Arne Engels’ parents are telling him about Celtic’s critics

Some people are unfairly judging the Belgian and a lot of the criticism is because of his hefty price-tag.

Engels admits he’s not interested in hearing what his critics have got to say and admits he’s loving life at Celtic right now.

Engels continued, “Everybody has something to say, and of course I’m not reading it but sometimes you’re hearing it from my parents telling me ‘They are saying this or that’.

“But it is up to me to just perform and enjoy my game, and enjoy life a bit. It is also an important thing to enjoy your life, and also playing.

“I love it here, I love being in Glasgow, it’s been an enjoyable season and hopefully we end it well.

“I love it. The passion is amazing here, everyone is so passionate and so involved. If you walk into the city, they are either shouting your name…or doing something!

“It’s really nice to feel that passion, not only in the stadium but outside the stadium. My parents love it here. I’m in a good place.”

Incredibly, Engels is on the brink of winning a treble in his first season at Celtic so to think he has been the subject of sustained criticism is mindblowing.

However, Engels will admit that some of his performances have been sub-par but for his first season at Celtic, the 21-year-old has shown that he is a quality player and that the best is yet to come from him.