Arne Engels did not react to £25m interest like most modern players, he treated it as irrelevant and stayed fully committed to Celtic.
The midfielder was subject to a £25m offer, yet Engels’ response was professional, calm and measured according to Celtic boss Martin O’Neill.
The Celtic midfielder never made an issue of the situation as O’Neill reveals Engels ‘never complained at all’, which shows a level of discipline that is rarely seen.
Can Celtic afford to sell Arne Engels?
Celtic midfielder Arne Engels.
Arne Engels’ silence strengthened Celtic’s position
Celtic rejected multiple bids from Nottingham Forest and maintained control throughout because the player did not create pressure behind the scenes.
Despite claims that Engels was reportedly ‘unhappy’ at Celtic rejecting the bids, O’Neill says the Belgian’s reaction was the exact opposite.
O’Neill told The Herald, “He never made an issue. It was what it was. The last offer we got, I didn’t realise until [chief executive officer] Michael Nicholson told me, was three hours before the deadline.
“A lot of players would be chomping at the bit saying, ‘I want to go’ because he was going to be earning more money, he was going to be doing a lot of things like that.
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“He’s not complained at all. It’s interesting sometimes, it’s only when somebody’s not playing do you actually miss them. I think that would be the case with Arne [Engels].
“But he’s keen to get back and I think after the international break, he should be ready.”
There was a clear financial incentive for Engels to leave Celtic
The move would have allowed Engels to be earning more money, which is often enough to trigger unrest in similar situations.
That context matters because players regularly push for exits when presented with that opportunity, but Engels chose not to act on it or force a change.
Celtic have already felt his absence
Engels’ importance to Celtic has been reinforced during his injury spell, with the manager admitting the team have missed his presence in midfield.
That influence is supported by output, with 12 goal contributions in 38 appearances underlining consistent impact.
Engels’ reaction was not passive, it was controlled and deliberate, and Celtic are holding onto a player whose mentality is as valuable as his ability.
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