‘So many qualities’ – Arne Engels lauds consistent Celtic star set for landmark territory vs Dundee Utd

Add as preferred source on Google

Celtic midfielder Arne Engels is one of the newer faces in Brendan Rodgers’ dressing room but has impressively taken to the role of becoming a leading light on the pitch.

Formerly of Augsburg, the Bhoys shelled out £11 million to sign Engels last summer, and he has delivered 14 goal contributions in 26 appearances since his move.

However, Brendan Rodgers did defend the Belgium star from unwarranted criticism after some external forces questioned the bang Celtic were getting for their buck due to his record price tag.

Despite their success on the pitch, another defining commodity that makes the Hoops’ dressing room so unique is their collective desire to stand up for one another when under siege.

Questions always arise when you pull on green and white, but unity is needed to withstand the challenges that playing for the Scottish Premiership holders can throw at individuals.

Engels knows that all too well and has reserved praise for one of his teammates who has been in the headlines of late.

Arne Engels on Greg Taylor’s importance to the fold at Celtic

Speaking ahead of Celtic’s home clash against Dundee United, Engels spoke fondly of teammate Greg Taylor as the Scotland international prepares for what could be his 200th appearance for the club.

He stated, firstly on his attitude in training and on matchday: “(He contributes) a lot. I will say that it’s a lot. First of all, he’s a lovely guy. I’m here now for five months maybe and I really love him, how he behaves here, how he is with everybody here inside of the building.

“Second of all, he has so many qualities. You see it every time in training, but especially in the games. He’s always performing on the highest level.

“He’s not somebody that is going down or something. He’s always performing and showing his qualities. Not one day, he’s doing it every time. That’s something really crazy. He knows how to win trophies also. He’s really important for us.”

Later, he addressed Celtic fans chanting Kieran Tierney’s name in the win over St Mirren: “It is maybe a little bit difficult for him. I think it’s not nice to hear, but he’s a grown man so he knows how to deal with it.

“Like I said, he’s a lovely guy. He deserves to be here, and he deserves to play and perform. That’s the only thing I will say about it.”

Greg Taylor in Celtic landmark territory despite future uncertainty

As supporters are aware, Taylor is out of contract this summer at Celtic and is reportedly keen to earn £25,000 per week if he signs a new deal at Parkhead.

Putting that all to one side, the 27-year-old has played his part in the Bhoys claiming ten pieces of silverware since joining from Kilmarnock back in 2019 and could make a landmark 200th appearance if he features later on against Dundee United.

In that time, Taylor has lodged nine goals and 30 assists across all competitions, but his main strength in recent seasons has been excelling in an inverted role where he acts as a spare man to help build attacks.

Undoubtedly, his future needs to be resolved sooner rather than later. However, his presence has been vital in years gone by, and it is clear how much he is valued in the dressing room by fellow peers for his work.