Lazio are interested in Celtic’s Arne Engels, according to a report.
The midfielder has just returned to Martin O’Neill’s side after an injury lay-off which kept him out for two months.
Celtic rejected a £25m offer from Nottingham Forest for Engels on Deadline Day in the January window, firmly maintaining their stance that he wouldn’t be sold mid-season.
His suitors don’t appear to be going anywhere, however, as the Serie A giants consider a summer move.
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Lazio target Celtic’s Arne Engels in case of Fisayo Dele-Bashiru departure
According to Lorenzo Lepore of Italian outlet Sportitalia, Engels has “caught the attention” of the Lazio hierarchy.
The future of manager Maurizio Sarri remains uncertain, and will be a factor in Engels’ decision. He would be viewed as a replacement for Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, should he be sold.
The report also says that Forest could move back in for the Belgian in the summer, despite changing manager from Sean Dyche to Vitor Pereira.
Engels will reportedly “carefully weigh up any offers that come his way over the coming months”. He certainly looks to be one of the most likely Celtic player to leave.
O’Neill was protective of Engels in January, insisting that the deal would only happen if the Parkhead hierarchy received a £100 million offer.
RB Leipzig had previously been linked with Engels, but instead went on to prioritise a move for Rocco Reitz of Borussia Monchengladbach.
The managerial certainly isn’t exclusive to Lazio; we still don’t know the identity of the Celtic manager for next season.
However, under the interim charge of O’Neill, Engels returned to the starting XI having been largely benched by Brendan Rodgers.
Lazio currently sit ninth in Serie A, though they have lost just one of their last seven.
What state is Celtic’s midfield in? Who needs to stay and who needs to go?
Martin O’Neill on Celtic’s Arne Engels
Forest’s bid in January was initially sent during Celtic’s 2-0 win over Falkirk, in which Engels played.
Asked about it after the game, O’Neill said: “Honestly, I’m telling you, I didn’t know a thing about it.
“If they’d done it, then they must have done it during the game. No, no, no, seriously. No, seriously, because I didn’t know a thing about it.
“And I’d want it rebuffed, unless it was £100 million. And then I think the board would step in then.”
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