Arne Engels, born 8 September 2003 in Belgium, is a solid midfield general currently plying his trade with Celtic. Engels, now 21, is a central midfielder cherished for his ability to control the tempo of the game. Standing 6 feet tall (1.84m) and weighing 11 stone 2 pounds (71 kg), his physical presence in the heart of the park is readily apparent. Donned in the number 27 jersey, Engels has not only served Celtic well but also earned international caps representing Belgium.
According to Transfermarkt, Engels carries a market value of around £9.5m. His contract with the Hoops is set to run until 30 June 2028, offering Celtic a solid three years and seven months of his services.
Engels began his career as a fresh-faced trainee at Club NXT in the Challenger Pro League in Belgium back in 2015. His career soon took him to Germany, signing for Augsburg in the Bundesliga from Club NXT in January 2023 for a modest fee of around £100k. Engels proved his worth during his time in Germany, gradually gaining prominence as his appearances increased from 18 in his debut season (2022-2023) to 32 in the following season (2023-2024) when he also netted thrice.
In August 2024, Engels bid farewell to Augsburg and seized the opportunity to join Celtic in Scotland for a substantial fee of £11m. He managed 12 appearances for the Bhoys in his first season (2024-2025), finding the back of the net on three occasions. Clearly, the Hoops were not the only ones benefiting from Engel's development. The midfielder also had a notable impact at international level, scoring twice in six starts for Belgium in the UEFA U21 Championship Qualifiers (2024-2025), and netting once in five starts for Celtic in the Champions League same season.
Though Engels is relatively new to the Celtic team, there's no denying his potential. Already shining in both domestic competitions and on the European stage, the 21 year-old Belgian looks set to carve out an illustrious career at Parkhead.
