Celtic midfielder Arne Engels celebrates with his finger to his lips

West Ham are keen to sign Arne EngelsImago

Sources: West Ham 'confident' of completing Arne Engels deal after agreement

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Published on:

13 Aug 2026, 9:13 am

West Ham United are confident of agreeing a deal for Celtic midfielder Arne Engels, sources have told Football Insider.

Negotiations are ongoing for the 22-year-old, who has already agreed on personal terms with the Championship side.

The Scottish champions want to complete their signing blitz before letting the Belgian go, with several deals thought to be in the works.

West Ham have already seen two offers turned down for Engels, with a third bid expected to exceed £25million.

Celtic will hope to push towards £30m for the midfielder, after they rejected a £25m bid from Nottingham Forest in January, but appear to be resigned to his eventual departure.

West Ham are expected to push for more arrivals before the transfer window shuts, having already signed Manor Solomon, Keiber Lamadrid and Joel Veltman.

👏 Congratulations to Arne Engels who is set to make his 100th appearance for the Hoops today 💚#KILCEL | #CelticFC🍀 pic.twitter.com/T3YfMCm3Zf
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) August 9, 2026

Celtic eye Arne Engels replacements

Business has seriously ramped up for Celtic in recent days, just as frustration was beginning to build.

Kasper Hogh has arrived in a deal worth more than £11m and has enjoyed a superb start, scoring a hattrick in just his second appearance.

Camilo Duran arrived earlier in the window and the pair have now been joined by exciting winger Haissem Hassan, who caught the eye for Egypt at the World Cup.

Celtic have also agreed a deal for Paderborn midfielder Mika Baur, who is expected to undergo a medical on Thursday ahead of a £6.8m move.

The German's arrival will open the door for Reo Hatate's exit, while Torino talent Gvidas Gineitis is thought to be the top target for Engels' replacement.

Celtic's plan after Arne Engels sale will 'drive everybody mad' - Keith Wyness

Why do West Ham want Engels?

Engels appears very much to be a signing targeted for an immediate return to the Premier League.

The Belgian is certainly capable of playing in the top flight already, and will hope to lead the Hammers to a winning Championship season.

In Engels, West Ham will add an all-action midfielder. Last season, he took 1.39 shots, created 1.88 chances and took 2.82 touches in the opposition box per game.

And defensively, the 22-year-old made 1.34 tackles, 2.73 recoveries and won 3.85 duels per game.

Should West Ham pull it off, Engels will be a serious addition to Nuno's midfield.

Arne Engels