Celtic can now put Jakob Breum succession plan into action with Arne Engels exit inevitable

Celtic must be ready to step up their interest in Go Ahead Eagles midfielder Jakob Breum, with Arne Engels surely now destined for the Premier League.

The Belgian came within touching distance of a move to Nottingham Forest back in the January window, and the Reds are now part of a growing number of clubs looking to take him to England this summer.

Sunderland and Fulham have also joined the race for the 22-year-old, who has developed a growing list of admirers south of the border.

Celtic lined up a move for Breum back in the winter, but ultimately never truly firmed up their interest, suggesting that he was on standby as a target if Engels left.

The Dane notched six goals and five assists in the Eredivisie this season, a league which has proved fruitful for Scottish Premiership clubs to explore in recent years.

Breum appears to be Celtic's succession plan for Engels, and with the writing now on the wall for the latter, it is surely now time to put the plan into action.

Jakob Breum perfect to slot into Celtic's 4-2-3-1 for £4.4m

Celtic will know that it will be a big ask to replace Engels ahead of next season, but they must go down a similar route of trying to unearth another hidden gem.

Breum has been identified as a player who could make a big impact at Parkhead, and the club have now chased him in several of the recent transfer windows.

The Hoops remain big admirers of the 22-year-old, and now know that they can sign him for £4.4million this summer, according to the Daily Record via Dutch outlet VI.

The starlet would be an ideal fit to slot into Engels' position in the left-sided role at the base of the midfield in Martin O'Neill's 4-2-3-1 system.

Breum has already been operating in that role for Go Ahead Eagles this season, and has struck a perfect balance between controlling the middle and pushing up to impact the final third.

Celtic need somebody with bags of energy and mobility to partner the ageing Callum McGregor, and Breum has all the tools to do the job.

Given that three Premier League clubs are now chasing Engels, it is surely inevitable that he leaves, meaning O'Neill and Co. must accelerate for Breum to ensure their own move is ready to go whenever it is needed.

Celtic ready to act on scouts' feedback

Another midfielder that Celtic have been targeting in recent weeks is Gyor star Milan Vitalis.

Football Insider recently revealed that Celtic are readying a move for the Hungary internnational, after keeping tabs on him in recent months.

The Glasgow giants have had scouts keeping a close eye on the 24-year-old's development, and they see him as a player with a "real potential" to improve and become a top talent.

The recruitment team are now ready to act on that feedback, with Vitalis lined up as another potential addition to O'Neill's midfield options.