Celtic’s call to keep Arne Engels on board after the January transfer window has caused quite the debate.
It seems as though there is a split as to whether Celtic should have sold their club-record transfer after Nottingham Forest came knocking.
Ross McCormack has stated he would have accepted ‘£14 million’ for the midfielder, never mind the £25 million Celtic rejected for Engels.
As Martin O’Neill stated, the final call came from the powers that be in the Parkhead boardroom, but McCormack thinks Engels isn’t even a starting midfielder, so he would have got rid of him without a replacement.
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Make no bones about it, if it was earlier on in the window, or if Celtic had time to bring in a replacement, they would have sold Engels at £14 million.
But speaking on Open Goal, McCormack explained that Celtic’s benched players – Reo Hatate, Luke McCowan and Paulo Bernardo – are all ‘better’ than their wanted teammate.
That’s why the former Scotland striker would have been more comfortable in pushing Engels out of the door and taking the money.
McCormack: “I would have taken the first offer, £14 million. I would have snapped their hands off for it, nevermind £25 million. You are making a profit on him.”
Paul Slane: “Even on the last day of the window when you don’t have a replacement in?”
McCormack: “Aye, I am taking it. Jump back in the Fiesta, I am taking him there – I can understand (turning down the money) if you look at that squad and go, ‘they are a wee bit depleted in that area.’
“But look at their bench. Hatate, Luke McCowan, as well, don’t forget him. Bernardo. I would argue that the three of them are better players than Engels.”
Si Ferry: “I agree. I would have taken the £25 million.”
Celtic’s midfield options if Engels had left…
What’s interesting is that Celtic are close to signing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and he can operate in the middle of the park.
If Engels had gone, could the champions of Scotland have done without his services, from a starting and depth perspective, had nobody else come in?
The issue is, whether people like to hear it or not, Engels has been a regular starter under O’Neill alongside Callum McGregor and Benjamin Nygren.
You could argue that the underused Bernardo could have filled in, or the soon-to-be new face in the building, Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Either way, you sense this topic will continue to be brought up anytime Engels has a bad game, as this is Celtic’s midfield options without Engels:
- Callum McGregor
- Benjamin Nygren
- Reo Hatate
- Luke McCowan
- Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (yet to sign)
- Paulo Bernardo
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