The million-dollar question some Celtic fans will be asking is, will Nottingham Forest come back in for Arne Engels in the summer?
It took some people by surprise that, not only were Forest interested in Engels, but they went to such lengths to try to lure him to the City Ground.
The reports suggested that Celtic rejected £25 million for Engels, and in total, three bids were put on the table for the midfielder.
Even Martin O’Neill stated bids were turned down for Engels, so what is the viewpoint of Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche?
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Is this Celtic’s strongest starting XI now that the transfer window has closed?
What does yours look like?
Sean Dyche reacts to Nottingham Forest bidding for Celtic’s Arne Engels
This was Dyche’s first press conference since the January transfer window slammed shut, and he was directly asked about those Engels bids.
Dyche stated that ‘some’ of the noise around Celtic’s club-record transfer was ‘real’, and ‘some wasn’t, as he began hyping up the ‘talent’ within his squad.
The Forest boss played it clever in his presser; he didn’t deny that those bids went in, and he also played both sides of the coin.
But given that O’Neill himself has spoken about Celtic turning down bids for Engels, then you know there is a lot of truth in it.
Nonetheless, this is what Dyche had to say about Celtic’s Belgian midfielder.
Kirsty Edwards: “Not everything went your way (on transfer deadline day). We saw those bids turned down on the day for Arne Engels, and interest elsewhere.
“How frustrated are you to miss out on him?”
Sean Dyche: “Some is real, some of that news, and some wasn’t. That’s one thing to clear up. There were a number of situations where we felt that we could operate in.
“But I did say before the window, it’s not just targeting players, whoever they may be, it’s actually getting deals done, and it’s not an easy process.
“I will remind you that there is some talent here, it’s just about getting ready talent. Some are maturing into what it is to be in the Premier League, so that work continues. There are some good signs from the groups.
“If we could have strengthened, we would, but it’s not easy getting deals over the line.”
Edwards: “Can you give us any details then? Did the three bids go in?”
Dyche: “The only details that you lot make up. I am happy to go with them. I always do. Not you personally, by the way. I saw you laughing like, ‘how dare you?’ You know I get on well with the media, but everyone has a job to do. I would say that.”
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