ENGEL EYES
Celtic confirm RECORD signing as Brendan Rodgers lands Matt O’Riley replacement with £11m star
The Hoops have got their replacement for their former main man
CELTIC have confirmed the record signing of Arne Engels.
The Belgium under-21 star is the Hoops' most expensive player ever.
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SunSport first told you a fortnight ago that Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers had made Engels his top priority this transfer window.
The 20-year old was identified as a replacement for the Hoops' star man Matt O'Riley.
And that need intensified when O'Riley completed his mega money £30million switch to Brighton last weekend.
Celtic saw an initial £6.5million bid for Engels rebuffed by his now previous club Augsburg.
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The German Bundesliga side were wanting DOUBLE that mount.
The Hoops raised their bid to £10m before finally agreeing a deal worth up to £11m for the player.
He has joined the Scottish champions on a four-year deal.
That fee eclipses the £10m Celtic paid for Odsonne Edouard back in 2018 making Engels the club's most expensive player ever.
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On the deal, Rogders said: “We are delighted to bring Arne to Celtic. He is an exciting young player of real quality who has already made his mark at a really high level in the Bundesliga.
"He has a wide range of attributes which will allow him to play a number of positions in midfield, so we feel he is an excellent acquisition for the club.
Matt O'Riley limps off just minutes into Brighton debut after horror Crawley tackle
"Arne’s style of play, his energy and his technical ability really will suit our game model.
"While Celtic will always be our priority, it is fantastic too that Arne is now receiving full international recognition within a top Belgian squad, something he is very deserving of."
Engels came through the youth system at Club Brugge before moving to Augsburg in January 2023.
Rangers manager Philippe Clement was Brugge boss at the time Engels was making his way.
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He quickly established himself and racked up 51 appearances in Germany's top tier before his move to Celtic.
While he's an obvious replacement for O'Riley, Engels is also capable of playing on the wing or in a more advanced midfield role.
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He caught the eye of Belgium boss Domenico Tedesco in the build-up to Euro 2024.
Engels was called-up to the squad in the lead-up to the finals but didn't make the final cut.
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