Arne Engels, born on 8 September 2003 (age 22), is a Belgian central midfielder who joined Celtic from Augsburg in August 2024 for around £11m. It was a sizeable fee by Celtic standards, and one that placed a fair bit of responsibility on a young player still shaping the harder edges of his game.
His first season in Glasgow gave Celtic a useful return. In the 2024-25 league campaign he scored nine goals in 34 appearances, his most productive league season so far, and was part of the side that won the Premiership and League Cup. That is not a bad start, even allowing for the usual noise that comes with any expensive signing.
Engels has remained a regular first-team presence in 2025-26. His form has been strong and consistent, with 27 league appearances and four league goals, alongside work in the League Cup, Scottish Cup, Champions League qualifiers and Europa League. Across all competitions this season, he has made 42 appearances and scored five goals for Celtic.
Primarily a centre midfielder, Engels is still at the stage where development matters as much as output, but he has already become a relevant part of the current side rather than a player waiting for his chance. His market value is around £15.5m, according to Transfermarkt.
