GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - SEPTEMBER 18: Brendan Rodgers, Manager of Celtic, acknowledges the fans prior to the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD1 match between Celtic FC and SK Slovan Bratislava at Celtic Park on September 18, 2024 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Arne Engels has softened the blow for Celtic after losing Matt O’Riley since arriving at the club for a record fee on deadline day.
The Belgium international joined for £11 million and has hit the ground running under Brendan Rodgers, who offered him a debut from the bench against Rangers just two days after signing.
Since then, Engels has converted penalties against Heart of Midlothian and Slovan Bratislava, but his all-action performances are the main attraction for supporters in the stands.
Despite composure in possession being a requisite requirement at Celtic, the 21-year-old is also a domineering presence off the ball and works tirelessly to enact turnovers for the reigning Scottish Premiership champions.
With early hype surrounding his arrival, Scott Allan has delved further into why the Dendermonde-born man is garnering so much attention.
The Arne Engels excitement at Celtic
Speaking on the Scottish Football Podcast, Allan lauded Engels’ initial impact and believes his capacity to do things quickly is exciting from a supporters’ perspective.
He stated: “Yeah, he really has. And I think getting that penalty against Hearts at the weekend, that allows you to feel comfortable with your new teammates, and he’s added to that last night.
“Fantastic performance, albeit Sloven Bratislava didn’t really offer much in terms of attacking threat, and couldn’t match Celtic’s intensity, but you can only play what’s out there.
I thought the only thing it was missing was a goal from open play from him because he looked to get his shots away, which I think Celtic fans will be really excited about. But for me, great performance, it settled in really well. And it’s interesting because a few weeks ago, Bernardo was fantastic.
Engels has taken to life at Celtic like a duck to water, and the most promising thing about his emergence is that the midfielder is only at the beginning of his cycle in Glasgow.
The Bhoys have a knack for identifying talent that serves them well in the future, but his record arrival signifies a power shift regarding where they aspire to be on the European stage.
Hopefully, Engels continues to deliver more stellar performances in the engine room over the coming months, helping Celtic to move in the right direction on the pitch.
