Nottingham Forest fans will love what James McFadden has said about Arne Engels as 'offer' submitted
Nottingham Forest fans should be excited about potential new signing Arne Engels after how pundit James McFadden previously sung his praises.
Engels has emerged as a key player for Celtic since he joined from Augsburg for a club-record £11million fee in 2024.
The 22-year-old registered 15 goal contributions in 46 games last season as the Hoops sealed a league and cup double.
Engels has also won four Belgium caps since being at Celtic, with his fine performances attracting interest from the Premier League.
Nottingham Forest tried to sign Engels late in the January window, but despite failing back then, they are back in for his signature this summer.
According to Belgian outlet Voetbal Krant, Forest have submitted an offer for Engels in the last 24 hours.
He is unproven in the Premier League as it stands, but Reds supporters should be encouraged by how he has been praised in the past.
What has James McFadden said about Arne Engels?
Hoops boss Martin O'Neill admitted over the weekend that he holds "some resignation" about Engels leaving his club this summer.
New Forest manager Oliver Glasner will be keen to bolster his midfield ranks as Elliot Anderson moves to Man City for a British record fee.
Engels has gained extensive European experience in his time at Parkhead, and was a particular standout as Celtic thrashed Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League in September 2024.
Following that clash, former player and current pundit, McFadden, heaped praise on the midfielder on BBC Sportsound.
He said: "He's a class act. You can see the confidence. Sometimes you see players who move for big money and you think: 'How are they going to cope with that pressure?' Especially at a young age.
"He's recently turned 21, but he is class. He's so comfortable on the ball and his understanding of playing in that midfield position well.
"He knows when to go high, when to tuck around. His reading of the game, he's tracking back and covering his teammates."
Forest fans can certainly start to get excited about their potential new signing, especially as they look to replace one of the best midfielders in the Premier League, in Anderson.
Which other midfielders are Forest looking to sign this summer?
Glasner is also facing some uncertainty around the future of Morgan Gibbs-White, with Arsenal, Tottenham and PSG each linked to his services.
It is clear that he will need to focus on bolstering his ranks in the middle of the park, with Engels not their only target right now.
Sources have exclusively revealed to Football Insider that Forest are working hard to sign Lucas Bergvall from Tottenham, having been closely linked for the last few weeks.He's a class act," former Scotland forward James McFadden said on Sportsound. "You can see the confidence.
"Sometimes you see players who move for big money and you think: 'How are they going to cope with that pressure?' Especially at a young age.
"He's recently turned 21 but he is class. He's so comfortable on the ball and his understanding of playing in that midfield position well.
"He knows when to go high, when to tuck around. His reading of the game, he's tracking back and covering his team-mates."
The Swedish starlet has made it clear that he wishes to leave Tottenham this summer, but a deal will not come cheap as they demand over £45m to part ways.