'What's the saying?' - The top-class Celtic player catching eyes and becoming a machine
New Belgian midfielder settling in perfectly with his team-mates
Arne Engels is already proving why he is Celtic’s record signing, according to team-mate Liam Scales.
The 21-year-old Belgian joined Celtic from Augsburg for fee believed to be in the region of £11 million, becoming the most expensive purchase by the defending Premiership champions. He has started his career in the east end of Glasgow in some style, scoring twice in three matches and dominating the midfield during Wednesday’s 5-1 win over Slovan Bratislava.
Engels has come in to replace Matt O’Riley after he left for Brighton and Hove Albion and Scales, who like the midfielder was on the scoresheet against Slovan, has been very impressed by the new arrival.
“What’s that saying? If he was any more laid back, he'd be horizontal,” smiled Scales. “Honestly, he's brilliant. It takes a lot of guts to come in and play the way he's playing, straight into these massive fixtures.
“Playing against Rangers, coming into the Champions League game and doing so well. He's got so much quality. I think everyone can see that. He's brilliant.
“I think he deserves that record fee. He's a top, top quality player. He's just been brilliant. He's really getting to know the lads as well. He's just been top class all round. I'm looking forward to playing with him.”
Engels delivered the corner for Scales to open the scoring against Bratislava. “I watched it back and the player a yard in front of me is at full stretch, in the air, and it's gone over his head and come down just in time to be right on my head. I've not even really had to jump,” explained Scales.
“You can't really defend against crosses like that if it's got so much whip and dip on it. Obviously, we're at an advantage that we know what area he's going to play it into and I'm going to make my run into there. It was perfect. I didn't have much to do other than just get good contact on it.
“He's well capable of that other side of the game as well. Obviously, he's technically brilliant. You can see that, but I think that sort of goes under the radar of how good he is. He's just a bit of a machine.
“There are players bouncing off him and he's really getting into tackles. It's great to see that. You need your midfielders to do that.
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