"Excellent acquisition" - Celtic delighted as they confirm record signing of Belgian starlet in £11m deal

Celtic have announced the signing of Belgian player Arne Engels for a record fee of £11million just minutes before the transfer deadline.

Arne Engels has signed for Celtic (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The 20-year-old playmaker had been keen to join the Scottish champions from Bundesliga outfit Augsburg, though the Hoops saw several bids rejected for the player before they had a breakthrough in the last 24 hours, with the youngster now confirmed as a Celtic player alongside fellow deadline day arrival Auston Trusty.

“We are delighted to bring Arne to Celtic,” said head coach Brendan Rodgers. “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. I think 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."

The move had looked in serious doubt just 48 hours ago when Augsburg head coach Jess Thorup said he “expected” the player to be part of his squad for the weekend game with Heidenheim. However, Celtic have now managed to complete the move ahead of the deadline in a deal that smashes their transfer record of £9.5million, which they paid for Adam Idah earlier in the window. The highly-rated Engels has agreed to a four-year-deal with the club, subject to international clearance.

It is reported that the German club have also inserted a 20% sell-on fee as part of the package and the player could be included in Sunday’s squad for the game against Rangers at Celtic Park. Celtic are also hoping to complete a late deal for Dundee captain Luke McCowan after having a late bid accepted by the Den’s Park club.