West Ham United are reportedly closing in on a deal to sign Celtic midfielder Arne Engels, with a reported fee of around £25m to pay.
According to journalist Matteo Moretto, the Hammers are now close to completing a move for the 22-year-old Belgium international. No fee has yet been formally disclosed, but Celtic are unlikely to allow one of their most valuable players to leave cheaply after rejecting a £25m Nottingham Forest bid this year.
Engels joined Celtic from Augsburg in August 2024, signing a four-year contract after the Scottish champions paid a reported club-record fee of £11 million. He has since made 98 appearances in all competitions, scoring 17 goals and providing 21 assists, while becoming a regular in domestic and European competition.
The midfielder scored 14 times across 64 Scottish Premiership appearances during his first two seasons in Glasgow. He also helped Celtic win consecutive league titles, the Scottish League Cup in 2024/25 and the Scottish Cup during the following campaign.
His possible arrival would provide West Ham with a high-quality replacement for Mateus Fernandes, who has left the club following their relegation from the Premier League. The Hammers have also sold Crysencio Summerville, with those departures reportedly bringing more than £140 million into the club.
That gives West Ham considerable room to strengthen, although Engels could still require a substantial investment. Nottingham Forest reportedly had several approaches rejected during the January transfer window, including an offer worth around £25 million, while Roma have also been credited with an interest in the midfielder.
Engels is predominantly a central midfielder, but he has also featured at right-back and on the right side of midfield. His attacking numbers are particularly impressive for a player operating from deeper areas, while his age means he would retain significant resale value if West Ham were to complete the deal.
The prospect of him dropping into the Championship may initially appear surprising, but West Ham are not approaching the season like a traditional relegated club. Nuno Espirito Santo has remained in charge, Jarrod Bowen is expected to stay and the squad already contains enough quality to begin the campaign among the promotion favourites.
Signing Engels would take that ambition to another level. He has already played in the Bundesliga, Champions League and Europa League, as well as winning major honours in Scotland and representing Belgium at senior level. A deal is not yet complete, but West Ham appear to be moving closer to one of the most eye-catching Championship transfers of the summer.
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