Arne Engels is a rather robust Belgian midfielder, born on 8th September 2003, who, at the age of 21, plies his trade as a central midfielder for Celtic Football Club. Standing tall at 6ft (1.84m) and weighing 11st 2lb (71kg), he commands a challenging presence on the pitch. Engels dons the number 27 jersey for Celtic, and despite his youth, he has represented the Belgium national team in international competitions.
According to Transfermarkt, Engels' current market value is approximately £9m, and he is contracted to Celtic until 30th June 2028, granting Celtic fans the pleasure of his services for another 3.5 years at least.
Engels embarked on the first steps of his football journey when he joined Club NXT in the Challenger Pro League in Belgium as a trainee in July 2015. After honing his skills and impressing with his performances, he secured a move to Augsburg in Germany's illustrious Bundesliga for a modest fee of £100k in January 2023. He made waves in his debut season with 18 first-team appearances, and in his second season, he commanded a regular starting position, logging 32 appearances and scoring three goals.
It wasn't long before Engels' impressive performances caught the eye of Celtic's recruitment team, and he was signed by the Scottish giants in August 2024, for a significant fee of around £11m. Since his arrival, Engels has been a consistent performer for Celtic, making 20 appearances, and netting six goals in the current 2024 - 2025 season.
In addition to his domestic exploits, Engels has represented Celtic in the UEFA Champions League this season, scoring one goal in five starts, with one appearance as a substitute. He also stamped his impact in Celtic's League Cup campaign, with one start and two appearances as a substitute. On the international stage, Engels continues to impress, scoring two goals in six starts for the Belgian U21 team in their UEFA U21 Championship Qualifiers this season.
Arne Engels' journey so far has been nothing short of meteoric. From his humble beginnings in Belgium, to proving himself in the challenging German Bundesliga, and his current endeavours at Celtic, it's clear there's plenty more to come.
