The transfer window always throws up a few surprises, and Celtic fans certainly got that with Arne Engels.
All the talk has been about who Celtic could sign before the January transfer window slams shut on Monday evening.
But then news emerged that Nottingham Forest want to sign Engels before the deadline, so much so that a bid of ‘£17.3 million’ was tabled by the English Premier League side.
Given that Celtic paid £11 million for Engels, a club-record transfer, that is a lot of money to turn down, and now it seems that Nottingham Forest will be focusing their attention elsewhere.
Can Celtic afford to sell Arne Engels?
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Nottingham Forest move for Hayden Hackney after Arne Engels bids
Perhaps the biggest hint that Forest won’t be coming back for Engels is news emerging around Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney.
The England U21 international is a similar profile to Engels, a strong number eight, who likes to go box-to-box, and is somebody who can cover a lot of ground.
Sky Sports News are now reporting that Forest have had an approach for Hackney ‘rejected’ by Boro, and how the English Championship side ‘don’t want to sell the midfielder late in this window.’
Writing on the wall for Engels at Celtic?
Given the gulf in finances between Scotland and England, it’s pretty big that Celtic are rejecting such transfer fees, but it’s the right call.
Yes, Engels divides opinion, and some would have happily accepted such an offer for the player.
But he can’t be sold now, so late in the window, and with Martin O’Neill in the middle of a repair job.
What it does probably signal is, come the summer, Engels might be out of the door because, if Premier League teams are putting such money on the table now, then you presume it will only continue in the summer.
That’s when the champions of Scotland might have no choice but to sell Engels, accept a big fee, and then use it to enhance the squad.
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