Celtic Reject £25m Bid For 24-Year-Old As UCL Play-off Race Heats Up: What’s The Best For The Hoops?

Celtic Reject £25m Bid For 24-Year-Old As UCL Play-off Race Heats Up: What’s The Best For The Hoops?

West Ham United have identified Celtic midfielder Arne Engels as their top transfer priority this window, according to a report from the ExWHUEmployee insider account. The 24-year-old Belgian is firmly on the Hammers’ radar, but Celtic are putting up stiff resistance. The club want Engels available for their UEFA Champions League play-off fixtures first, a stance that pushes any potential deal deep into the final days of August. A race is now developing, with multiple clubs reportedly keeping tabs. Celtic‘s position is non-negotiable for now; no departure before the European tie is settled.

Celtic’s Champions League fight puts West Ham deal on ice

Engels, who racked up seven goals and eight assists across 46 appearances last season, has been nothing short of exceptional under Martin O’Neill. He scored a crucial penalty to retain the league title against Hearts and made eight Europa League appearances. His 100th Celtic appearance came in a 5-1 demolition of Kilmarnock, a performance that summed up his influence perfectly.

West Ham have gone hard, reportedly pushing bids up to £25 million. Celtic have knocked every one back without hesitation.

T4O take: Should Celtic sell Engels this summer?

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – JULY 25: Adam Montgomery of Celtic making a pass during Celtic v AC Milan in a pre-season friendly at Celtic Park on July 25, 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)

No. Not now, and honestly not under these conditions.

The argument for cashing in sounds clean on paper. £25 million profit looks good in a boardroom. But strip that back and ask what Celtic actually lose: their most consistent midfield engine, ahead of a two-legged Champions League play-off against LASK that could bring in far greater financial rewards than any transfer fee West Ham are currently offering.

Engels isn’t just a midfielder. He’s the pressure valve in O’Neill’s system, the player who retains possession when things get frantic, who steps up from 12 yards when it matters most. Finding that profile again, in the final days of a transfer window, isn’t just difficult, it’s close to impossible.

Celtic aren’t financially distressed. There’s no gun to the head here. West Ham walking away empty-handed isn’t a Celtic failure; it’s Celtic choosing ambition over short-term convenience. His partnership alongside Callum McGregor is the spine of this squad, and breaking it up now would be a self-inflicted wound going into Europe. If Engels delivers on the continental stage this autumn, his valuation won’t sit at £25 million for long. Celtic hold every card here.