Arne Engels, a Belgian-born footballer making his mark on the field primarily as a central midfielder, came into the world on the 8th of September, 2003 and thus, at the young age of 21, dons the number 27 jersey for Celtic. Standing tall at 6ft (1.84m) and weighing 11st 2lb (71kg), this Belgian national player has not only a physical presence but a substantial economic value in the football world.
Indeed, Transfermarkt has estimated Engels' market value at around £8m - not a sum to be scoffed at by any means. Currently bound by contract to Celtic until the end of June 2028, Engels has a promising tenure ahead of him in Celtic green.
As with many a young talent, Engels began his career not under the bright lights of the Premiership but in the Challenger Pro League of his home country, joining Club NXT as a trainee in July 2015.
After a spell of time spent developing his craft on Belgian turf, Engels transferred to German Bundesliga team Augsburg for a fee of about £100k in January 2023. Whilst in Germany, Engels made his mark with 18 first-team appearances in his debut season, followed by a fruitful subsequent season where he boasted 3 goals out of 32 appearances.
His stint at Augsburg was, however, relatively brief, for he was transferred to Celtic in August 2024 for a hefty sum of £11m. Amendable as ever to change, Engels made his mark early on in his debut Premiership season, with two top-flight appearances and a goal to his name.
Equally on the international stage, Engels represented his nation impressively in the 2024-2025 UEFA U21 Championship Qualifiers. The young midfielder played and started in two games, securing two goals for Belgium, a testament to his growing reputation on the field.
