Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has elevated the standard of his squad this campaign following a successful summer transfer window that yielded eight new signings.
Taking bold steps in the market, the Bhoys spent in excess of £30 million and have reaped the rewards on the pitch, holding a sizeable 13-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership.
In the Champions League, Celtic require three points against either Young Boys or Aston Villa to progress to the knockout phase, which may factor into their January window plans and the calibre of potential reinforcements targeted.
Enacting a few statement additions, the Hoops paid £11 million for Arne Engels and £9.5 million for Adam Idah. Auston Trusty also came in for a sizeable fee, so it remains to be seen how much is left in the bank to seek out further squad depth.
While that mission remains high on the priority list, John Hartson has taken encouragement from the strides one of Celtic’s summer signings is beginning to make.
John Hartson ‘excited’ about development of Celtic star
Speaking on the Go Radio Football Show, Hartson is ‘excited’ by the developments Celtic record-signing Engels is making in the engine room and believes there is still an ‘awful lot to come’ from the Belgium international.
He stated: “Yeah, I think there’s a lot more to come from him. I think we can be excited to watch him grow at Celtic. It’s not his fault that he was transferred for £11 million, that’s just a number put on his head.
“I like him, I’ve liked his performances at times. Physically, he gets around the pitch, he’s a nice footballer, I think he’s a calming influence on the team when he plays and I think there’s an awful lot more to come from him.
“The fact that he’s come out of the team once or twice, I think then when he goes in, the way he deals with the fact that he’s been left out, he comes in the following week, I think his performances have got better. He’s very solid in the middle of the park; he’s one of those who is a seven or eight out of ten every game. I like him and there’s a lot more to come from him.”
Arne Engels’ impressive numbers for Celtic deserve credit
Despite spending time out of the side recently, Engels has come back in and taken his opportunity to shine amid stiff competition for places in midfield.
Statistically, the former Augsburg man has registered five goals and nine assists in 26 appearances across all competitions, finding his niche in set-piece delivery and execution.
Celtic have lacked a figure who can maximise opportunities from dead balls, but Engels has shown himself in that respect and is also starting to become a real threat from open play.
Paying for potential is the new norm in the transfer market, and he is certainly someone who can improve immeasurably under Rodgers’ stewardship.
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