‘Celtic will sell Arne Engels for £25m’ after fresh Nottingham Forest bid submitted
Nottingham Forest have seen an improved bid for Arne Engels rejected by Celtic in the early stages of transfer deadline day.
The Premier League outfit have made their interest in the midfielder known in the final days of the January window, and are now pushing hard to try and secure his signature before the 7pm deadline on Monday.
Football Insider revealed earlier in January that Celtic were fielding interest in Engels from RB Leipzig, but is now the possibility of a move south of the border that they are trying to fend off.
Martin O’Neill has relied heavily on the 22-year-old at the heart of his team in recent weeks, as the Bhoys fight to try and retain their Scottish Premiership title.
Celtic fans think Celtic will ultimately cash in on Arne Engels
Football Insider revealed last week that Engels won’t push to leave Celtic any time soon, but that may not prevent the club from acting on the heavy interest from Nottingham Forest.
The Reds are desperately trying to tempt the Glasgow giants into selling their record signing, and have now seen a second bid worth £17.3million rejected by the Bhoys, according to Sky Sports.
Sean Dyche’s side are battling against relegation in the Premier League and are keen to take their final opportunity to strengthen their hand.
Celtic have shown a staunch resistance to a sale so far, but their fans think that could soon be broken if Forest continue to increase their offering.
One supporter suggested on X that “Celtic will sell” Engels if a bid of £25m is put on the table, while another outlined that they would be happy to see the Belgian leave for £30m.
Fear is quickly spreading among the fanbase at Celtic Park that Engels could on his way out of the door before the deadline, with several fans suggesting that they will be “lucky” to keep hold of him.
- @MartinS86350760: “Bite their hand off for £17.3m, too often flatters to deceive.”
- @xDJGamingHDx: “Absolutely terrible by our board. We are in a position to make a good profit on a guy who I don’t even think was worth the original £11m we paid.”
- @PeterGi99253749: “They will probably accept on 25 lol.”
Will Nottingham Forest make a third bid for Engels?
Forest have seen their move for Davide Frattesi hit the rocks over the weekend, with Inter Milan now holding out to sign Curtis Jones from Liverpool before they agree to a potential exit.
The Merseysiders are keen to tie the midfielder down to a new contract before they allow him to leave the club on loan, and that appears to have put his switch to Serie A in major doubt.
Forest are hoping to add another midfielder to their ranks, and have turned their attention towards Engels as a result.
Evangelos Marinakis and Co. may have been unsuccessful in their pursuit of the Celtic star so far, but with their other option now looking unlikely, it would be no surprise to see them continue to up their offer.
The Reds have gained a reputation for not being afraid to spend big since their return to the Premier League, and Marinakis is an owner who rarely stops until he gets his way.
Celtic’s resistance has been strong so far, but it is likely to be a challenge for them to maintain their stance until the deadline has passed.