Arne Engels has the talent, it’s just a shame that some refuse to see it. If RB Leipzig offer more than £11m you can bet the Celtic Board will bite their hands off…
Arne Engels has reportedly caught the eye of Bundesliga side RB Leipzig with numerous German outlets running with the story only for the SMSM to proclaim their own ‘exclusive’ that the best midfielder I Scottish football is a wanted man in the Bundesliga.
The Belgian international is to date the club’s record signing, after Brendan Rodgers persuaded the club to write an £11 million cheque for his services 18 months ago.
It’s fair to say that Arne hasn’t exactly lived up to his price tag, which is a massive cross to bear when it concerns Scottish football. This has led to the 22 year old becoming somewhat a target to the over critical element of our own support, who have been every so quick to judge him, labelling him with terms such as ‘useless’ and a ‘waste of money’ as they regularly write him off as a complete dud.
Many seem to think that Arne should be beating players for fun and unleashing 35 yard rockets into the top corner on a regular basis, but his role in the side is a little bit different, and it’s a role he plays perfectly when ever he puts on a Celtic shirt. Sure he has his bad games, but who hasn’t?
The fact that other clubs in top leagues are looking at him suggests that Arne knows how to play the game, and these clubs know much more about the game than the boo bhoys in the Celtic support.
14 goals and 18 assists in 85 appearances is not a bad record for any player never mind one as young as Arne. The Belgian has also already proven himself at the highest level in the shape of the Bundesliga, making 53 appearances for Augsburg, scoring three goals and registering nine assists, something that the RB Leipzig bosses won’t have missed.
Arne also looks a more accomplished and confident player under the guidance of Martin O’Neill and it would be foolish to even contemplating offloading him during this window, or the summer one for that matter either.
The Celtic Board had to pull the handbrake on two deals late into the summer window, stopping Yang going to Birmingham and Daizen Maeda leaving for Wolfsburg. Those would have brought in upwards of £15m combined and with both players wanting to leave Celtic should have had viable replacements lined up.
They still made that profit in the transfer window through the sale of Nicolas Kuhn, Adam Idah and Gustaf Lagerbielke plus the windfall from Jeremie Frimpong joining Liverpool for Bayer Leverkusen. Indeed it’s bee a while since they have had a net spend in a transfer window so watch out for some sales and Engels at offers over £11m would certainly appeal to our moneymen.
Just an Ordinary Bhoy
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I often say when I read these articles, that the players are paid a lot of money to play in public entertainment, and criticism comes with the territory.
But this time I’d rather say great article, accurate and succinct.
I don’t get what you see in Engels. He is average at best but I would only see him go if the money was good and more importantly it was reinvested but we all know that won’t happen.
With O’Neill’s favoured midfield utilising a “number 10” at the apex, we need 2 proper central midfielders to occupy, defend, and pass the ball properly.
So transfer-wise it’s the same old problem.
Until we buy a real, quality replacement, who within the squad goes into the role in that 2nd spot beside Calmac instead of Engels? Is it McCowan? Bernardo? I don’t think so. Another scouting and signing headache when we least need one.
My own opinion, which might not be popular, is that Engels gets a bit of unfair stick. Some of his more subdued performances (there have been a few) are as much to do with the overall impact of the team’s general slack play around him. Most of the players have underperformed, and that must have a knock on effect.
I’d like to see him get some time in a revamped team with quality around him to let him flourish a bit more, and I don’t see him as being in the dead-wood category regardless of money on offer.
Agreed.