‘Always ready’ - New Celtic star explains what attracted him to Parkhead ahead of potential Rangers debut

Arne Engels could make his Celtic debut against Rangers this weekendArne Engels could make his Celtic debut against Rangers this weekend
Arne Engels could make his Celtic debut against Rangers this weekend | Getty Images
Celtic completed a club-record deal to sign Arne Engels this week

New Celtic star Arne Engels has huge boots to fill as he arrives to replace Matt O’Riley after his Scottish record £25m departure to Brighton & Hove Albion.

The Belgian also has the added pressure of being Celtic’s most expensive footballer at £11m but he insists he is ready to go in what could be a baptism of fire against Old-Firm rivals Rangers this weekend.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In his first interview with Celtic TV, the 20-year-old insisted that he can’t wait to get going and is hopeful of making the starting line-up. He said: “I hope so. It’s the choice of the manager so I will see about that, but I’m always ready, so we will see.

“The trust that the club and the manager is giving me is a lot and it’s nice to experience. It’s also a bonus point actually, so it always nice to hear this from such a really good manager.

“Celtic has a style that suits me really well so that’s also one of the reasons that I wanted to join this really big club. It will be amazing to create a lot of chances and to get a lot of possession in games. It’s a new experience so it will be really nice.”

Engels arrives on the back of a successful season at Augsburg which saw him register three goals and two assists in the Bundesliga whilst emerging as a key player for Belgium’s U21 team.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The 20-year-old was one of three deadline deals at Parkhead along with Sheffield United defender Auston Trusty and Dundee playmaker Luke McCowan.

Celtic are targeting a fourth consecutive title defence and have a huge chance to take command of the title race when they play host to Rangers in this weekend’s standout fixture.

Related topics:

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.

Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice