Celtic’s January window has taken another sharp turn, and once again the update has come from Germany.
Respected journalist Florian Plettenberg, who first broke the news of Tomas Čvančara’s move to Celtic, has now reported that Nottingham Forest have submitted their first offer for Arne Engels.
The timing is awkward. While Celtic were cruising to a 2–0 win over Falkirk and returning to second in the SPFL table, attention quickly shifted from the pitch to the transfer market. With the deadline looming, any potential outgoing carries real consequences.
Engels remains one of the more debated figures in the current squad. Signed as Celtic’s record transfer at around £11 million, the Belgian arrived with expectations that were always going to be difficult to live up to. That fee has followed him relentlessly, shaping how many supporters judge his performances.
celtic fc midfielder Arne Engels
30th December 2025; Fir Park, Motherwell, Scotland; Scottish Premiership Football, Motherwell versus Celtic; Arne Engels of Celtic
On the pitch, the reality has been more nuanced. Engels has not been spectacular, but nor has he been a failure. He has delivered solid, functional displays, contributed in some big moments, and generally looked like a reliable if unspectacular central midfielder. In isolation, that profile would not provoke much controversy. In the context of a record fee, it inevitably does.
Interest from Nottingham Forest now puts Celtic in a precarious position. Losing a central midfielder at this stage of the window would leave Martin O’Neill light in an area where depth is already under scrutiny. The squad has been stretched throughout the season, and midfield is not a department with obvious excess.
The bigger concern is timing. With less than 24 hours remaining in the window, any sale would demand a near-instant replacement. That requires scouting, negotiation, medicals, and registration, all under severe time pressure. Based on how Celtic operate, supporters will rightly question whether the club is capable of executing that kind of deal at speed.
This is not just about Engels. It is about planning, or the lack of it. Celtic cannot realistically weaken the midfield without a clear and achievable replacement lined up. Otherwise, the short-term damage could outweigh any financial logic behind accepting a bid.
celtic fc Arne Engels
30th November 2025; Easter Road, Edinburgh, Scotland: Scottish Premiership Football, Hibernian versus Celtic; Arne Engels of Celtic receives treatment after he is challenged by Jamie McGrath of Hibernian as he shoots and scores in the 28th minute to make it 2-0 to Celtic
Plettenberg reports only that an initial offer has been made. There is no indication yet of Celtic’s response.
Away from that, Celtic are hoping to get at least two deals over the line on deadline day. It looks as if they are set to secure striker Junior Adamu. With right sided wingerJoel Mvuka also expected in Glasgow as well.
Celtic had the entire month to sort the squad out but find themselves chasing deals late on for positions they knew needed filled.
Tees for Tims