Medical booked and contract agreed as Arne Engels Celtic clause comes to light

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Celtic are set to seal the signing of Arne Engels on transfer deadline day, which will be the biggest incoming transfer in the club’s history.

Engels is an emerging midfield talent at Augsburg and has become the club’s primary consideration to replace Matt O’Riley, who left the club for Brighton & Hove Albion earlier this week.

Celtic will pay as much as £11m for Engels, shattering the existing upfront fee transfer record and delivering a significant statement of intent ahead of an upcoming expanded Champions League.

Sky Sports reports that the Belgian star will undergo his medical today. Personal terms on a four-year contract have already been agreed upon.

Augsburg will be hoping for Arne Engels success at Celtic

It has also been reported that the Bundesliga club have managed to negotiate a hefty 20% sell-on clause in their deal with Celtic, meaning they’ll be keen to see the midfielder become a big hit in the Scottish Premiership.

If Engels has the kind of potential we all hope he has then the club will be thinking about him as a major asset to potential re-sell two or three years down the line, just as they did with O’Riley.

It’s said that Brendan Rodgers has been a major proponent of the signing and has been pushing the club hard to get an agreement, which also bodes well.

Where Engels will fit into Celtic

The Belgian can play in advanced and defensive positions in midfield. It remains to be seen where Rodgers will deploy him consistently.

The reality of domestic matches against low-block opponents is that Engels will be urged to push forward in an attacking sense more often than not.

We know Rodgers likes his midfielders to make that extra run and arrive in the box to score goals, something O’Riley became so adept at. Expect similar instructions for Engels.

In Europe, he could well be tasked with a more disciplined defensive midfield role, helping Callum McGregor against elite foes. That all-round ability will serve Celtic really well depending on the situation.