Celtic have made their stance clear on Arne Engels.
Nottingham Forest have chanced their luck on the midfielder, sending two late offers which have both been rejected by Celtic.
Martin O’Neill – who knows both clubs well – joked that the board would step in if a £100 million offer was sent, but he didn’t expect any movement otherwise.
But Forest’s £17m offer for Engels indicates just how strongly they rate the 22-year-old, who has established himself as a key first team contributor under O’Neill.
Sean Dyche has been speaking about their Deadline Day plans.
Can Celtic afford to sell Arne Engels?
Celtic midfielder Arne Engels.
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Sean Dyche on Deadline Day amid Celtic’s Arne Engels rejections
Forest are in the midst of a relegation battle having already sacked two managers this season, including Hoops hero Ange Postecoglou.
Club owner Evangelos Marinakis isn’t known for thinking twice about reaching into his pocket in the transfer window.
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Nottingham Forest FC Training Session And Press Conference - UEFA Europa League 2025/26 League Phase MD7
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Speaking after Forest’s 1-1 home draw against Crystal Palace on Sunday, Dyche discussed his transfer plans for the big day.
But he remained realistic as the club scramble to add a midfielder, saying: “We’ll see. The squad in general is good.
“There has been noise about up front, and then all of a sudden T (Taiwo Awoniyi) pops up with a goal and reminds us that he’s capable.
“And then we have got big Lucca come in as well. Different areas of the pitch. Left-back is possibly an area we could look at and midfield to bolster it up.
“We have still got a lot of games to play. There are varying things. We are being linked with loads of players so we’ll see which ones we can land.
“There’s two or three I know of, but it doesn’t mean we’re going to get them and it doesn’t mean we are going to sign all of them either.”
Engels has also been linked with RB Leizpig this January, but a winter exit has never looked likely with the Celts focused on the Scottish Premiership title race.
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Players who could leave Celtic in the January transfer window
Deadline Day is usually about offloading players who aren’t in the picture, rather than reluctantly selling nailed-on starters.
Johnny Kenny is one who could leave, with attacking reinforcements pushing him further down the Celtic pecking order. He has interest from EFL and the Scottish Premiership.
Stephen Welsh could return to Motherwell if Celtic can add a central defender before the deadline, but for now, that remains a big ‘if’.
Celtic have rejected offers for Paulo Bernardo as he struggles for minutes, whilst Michel-Ange Balikwisha also seems to have dropped out of the club’s plans.
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