The £11 million Celtic paid for Arne Engels has always been used against him when he isn’t performing well.
You now sense that £11 million will turn into £25 million after the events of transfer deadline day.
Celtic turned down a £25 million bid from Nottingham Forest for Engels’ services, and it has divided opinion over a player who hasn’t set the world alight since moving from Augsburg in 2024.
One man who watched Engels make his debut for Augsburg was Derek Rae, and he shared how Celtic’s marmite-like figure is viewed in Germany.
- READ MORE: Michael Stewart thinks he knows why Celtic turned down ‘£25m’ for Arne Engels from Nottingham Forest
Is this Celtic’s strongest starting XI now that the transfer window has closed?
What does yours look like?
Derek Rae on how Arne Engels is viewed after Celtic rejected big offers
When Engels first moved to Germany, he was signed by Augsburg in a Celtic-like deal because they snapped him from Club Brugge’s B side.
Rae described the initial move as a ‘big surprise’ in Germany, but there were some coaches who liked what they saw from the midfielder, who can also operate as a number six, and did so early in his career.
Added to that, whilst everyone talks about Forest’s interest in Engels, there was also RB Leipzig roaming around during the January transfer window.
Bundesliga commentator Rae explained that it’s ‘no secret’ Leipzig are interested in Engels, and how he would be ‘perfect’ for the way they play.
Speaking on Premier Sports, like many people, Rae tried to get his head around why Celtic would reject such huge bids for Engels, and he feels there could be something in the pipeline when the summer transfer window re-opens.
“Celtic must be making that calculation that down the line there is even more money to be had,” said Rae. “Let’s face it. That’s why they signed him.
“I actually watched him make his debut for Augsburg in Dortmund; I was commentating that day. It was a big surprise; they had signed him from the B team at Brugge in Belgium.
“I was working with Hannes Wolf, who is a respected figure in German football, one of the youth coaches, at the time with the German football association. He said, ‘Ahh, I know this player. I am quite excited by this player.’ We didn’t really know much about him at all.
“But he was thrown into the starting XI for Augsburg; it was a great game. They lost it 4-3, but he made an immediate impact.
“They used him more, as what in German football would say, as a number six. A sitting player. But as a modern number six, not a big clogger throwing himself into challenges, but as a ball-playing number six. With the capacity to play higher up, as an eight or a ten.
“Of course, Celtic saw that. I did say, at the time, that Augsburg were getting a good deal out of it. That’s why they were happy to let him go after a short period of time in the Bundesliga.
“I was talking to somebody I respect recently at Leipzig. They play a certain way. No great secret, they have had an interest in him as well, because he would be the perfect player for them.
“Maybe Celtic have just assessed the field of potential suitors, and thought the best time is summer rather than winter because you have more competition for players.”
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