Celtic told recent starter ‘doesn’t look the same’, as Arne Engels also slammed amid ‘£40m’ transfer claim

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A big summer transfer window awaits Celtic and Brendan Rodgers.

Last summer, with the club record sale of Matt O’Riley, the powers that be put their money where their mouth is and backed the manager by paying big bucks for the likes of Arne Engels.

Then, the winter transfer window was an interesting one because the squad was weakened with the departure of Kyogo Furuhashi, and now the Celtic Park faithful expect more action when the window re-opens.

Rodgers has spoken about transfers, and how he expects movement, both incomings and outgoings, as his current contract – which expires during the summer of 2026 – is also up in the air.

Celtic are continuing to dominate on the domestic scene, and it’s a matter of time before a record-equaling 55th Premiership crown will be won.

But it’s not just in Scotland where Celtic need to maintain their success and improve, but also in the Champions League.

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Adam Idah and Arne Engels questioned amid ‘£40 million’ Celtic transfer claim

Celtic thrashed Kilmarnock over the weekend, with Engels keeping his place in the XI, and Idah returning as the starting striker.

But Tam McManus feels that Idah ‘doesn’t look the same player’ from the one that shone during his loan spell from Norwich City, as he told PLZ Soccer.

Whilst he thinks Engels isn’t producing the performances that his hefty price-tag dictates, and how it’s going to take another ‘£40 million’ to help Celtic improve in the Champions League.

“I thought it was a brilliant performance over two legs against Bayern Munich,” said McManus. “If you want to get to that level again next season, then you have to spend again.

“He (Rodgers) is being clever here. Challenging the board, because he knows it’s going to take another £20, 30 or 40 million, in terms of improving the squad to go and get to that level again – for Celtic to do it again, he needs to strengthen the squad.

“I saw Adam Idah at the weekend there. He doesn’t look like the same player. I don’t know if it’s a lack of confidence. Engels is still to convince me, in terms of £11 million. Maybe he will be better next season with a season under his belt.

“But those guys have got to come in and be standouts for that type of money, and I don’t think that they have. I think Brendan, next season, will be looking again at shopping in that market, £9, 10-15 million players. There is no point signing £1-3 million squad players. It’s not going to get you to that level again.”

Idah and Engels’ season for Celtic in numbers

The bread and butter is the Premiership, as Idah is yet to hit double figures in goals, but he hasn’t been a regular starter either.

On the other hand, Engels has continued to earn the starts, even though some still question him and wonder if the best of him will come next season.

Saying that, the rising Belgium star, who is Celtic’s main penalty-taker, has netted more goals than Idah in the Premiership this term.