Nottingham Forest have dramatically upped their pursuit of Arne Engels, submitting a third offer worth up to £25 million for the Celtic midfielder on deadline day.
19th October 2025; Dens Park, Dundee, Scotland; Scottish Premiership Football, Dundee versus Celtic; Arne Engels of Celtic
It comes after Celtic told the EPL side that they were not willing to sell Engels this window, and Forest did seem like they had moved on, but clearly not.
The bid consists of a £20 million initial fee, with an additional £5 million in add-ons, Sky Sports report. It’s a significant jump from their previous proposal of £17.3 million, which Celtic rejected earlier in the day.
Forest’s opening bid on Sunday was around £14 million, and all signs now point to how serious they are about trying to bring the 22-year-old Belgium international to the Premier League.
Engels, who joined Celtic in a record £11 million deal in the summer of 2024, has been a standout in European matches this season and is widely seen as one of the club’s most promising assets. However, Celtic have been adamant that he is not for sale this window, with manager Martin O’Neill keen to keep him as the club push for the Scottish Premiership title.
It now remains to be seen whether this improved offer changes Celtic’s stance, or if the club will stand firm and resist cashing in on one of their key players.
