Engels medical underway as West Ham secure Celtic midfielder
The Scottish champions had previously rejected a multi-million pound approach from Nottingham Forest, but the player’s desire to play in England has driven the deal forward despite O’Neill’s hopes to retain him for European fixtures.
Celtic manager Martin O’Neill has confirmed that Belgium midfielder Arne Engels is undergoing a medical ahead of a transfer to West Ham United. The 22-year-old’s move to the English Premier League club is now in its final stages, following a period of speculation that saw the Scottish champions turn down significant interest from other parties.
O’Neill acknowledged the difficulty in dissuading the player from leaving, particularly after Celtic rejected a multi-million pound offer from Nottingham Forest during the winter transfer window. Engels had expressed a clear desire to move to English football, a ambition that ultimately proved difficult to resist despite the late nature of the Forest approach in January.
The Celtic manager had initially hoped to retain Engels until after the club’s Champions League play-off against LASK, with the first leg scheduled for the following Wednesday. However, O’Neill noted that West Ham required the player to be available for the opening day of the season, a condition that accelerated the timeline of the departure.
O’Neill, who recently returned to full duties following a medical procedure, expressed disappointment at the loss but demonstrated an understanding of the player’s perspective. He suggested that Engels may have been concerned about potential injury risks similar to those faced by right-back Alistair Johnston, who recently suffered a leg muscle injury against Kilmarnock and is expected to be sidelined for several weeks.
The departure marks the latest in a series of squad adjustments for Celtic, who have also signed Egypt winger Haissem Hassan and Germany Under-21 midfielder Mika Baur. O’Neill indicated that further arrivals are anticipated, with Chelsea left-back Landon Emenalo being considered as a loan backup to Kieran Tierney, contingent on the young player’s recovery from a current injury.
