Martin O’Neill states what was ‘remarkable’ from the Celtic board after £25m bid for Arne Engels

Add as preferred source on Google

Celtic were seriously tested on transfer deadline day.

They say ‘money talks’, but in the case of Celtic, it didn’t, because they refused to allow Arne Engels to leave the club after several bids from Nottingham Forest.

Regardless of how the Celtic fans feel about Engels, he is viewed as a starting player under Martin O’Neill, and he shared that the offers that were tabled came in ‘very, very late.’

Many of the Celtic Park faithful were wondering, who is actually calling the shots here? Does O’Neill have the final say? Does it depend on whether the club can get a replacement in? Or is it down to the board?

• READ MORE: Michael Stewart thinks he knows why Celtic turned down ‘£25m’ for Arne Engels from Nottingham Forest

What would your message to Dermot Desmond be now that the transfer window has closed

Comment

Like or Comment

Have your say Sign-in now for free

Martin O’Neill says the Celtic board turned down £25 million offer from Nottingham Forest for Arne Engels

Speaking on talkSPORT, hours after the January transfer window slammed shut, O’Neill explained that it was the Celtic board who turned down the £25 million for Engels.

Celtic’s legendary coach called it ‘remarkable’ because of how much that money means to a Scottish side; it would be close to a record sale for the Hoops.

“The board turned it down,” said O’Neill. “Obviously, it has arrived very, very late in the day, and we had these offers coming in.

“I actually did a press conference, just after our game against Falkirk, unaware that there had been an offer gone in.

“I think the press seemed to get to know about it before the club did. It was very late in proceedings, and the board turned them down, which was, considering the amounts of money that you are talking about. That would be very, very big up here, as you know, that was remarkable.”

Celtic’s record sales after Engels bid turned down

Let’s be honest, come the summer, if anybody offers anything close to that £25 million, then Engels will be gone.

When you look at the list of Celtic’s most expensive sales, it could be argued that he isn’t near the quality of most of those players.

And even if Celtic win the title at the end of the season, unless Engels turns into Superman and also helps the club win the Europa League, then that viewpoint will remain, and he will continue to divide opinion.

• 5. Nicolas Kuhn sold to Como for £16.5m in 2025
• 4. Moussa Dembele sold to Olympique Lyonnais for £20m in 2018
• 3. Kieran Tierney sold to Arsenal for £25m in 2019
• 2. Jota sold to Al-Ittihad for £25m in 2023
• 1. Matt O’Riley sold to Brighton and Hove Albion for £26m in 2024