Celtic at the Como Cup – “Arne Engels will go to the next level,” Derek Rae

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The Celtic Star

·24 luglio 2025

Celtic at the Como Cup – “Arne Engels will go to the next level,” Derek Rae

When Arne Engels joined Celtic from Augsburg for £11 million right at the end of last summer’s transfer window, the spotlight on the Belgian midfielder was immediate — and intense…

Arne Engels scores the first goal from the penalty spot during the pre-season friendly match between Celtic and Newcastle United at Celtic Park on July 19, 2025 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

The size of the fee, which made him Celtic’s record transfer, inevitably brought with it heightened expectations from fans and media alike.

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But perhaps some of that scrutiny, especially the criticism in certain quarters, was misplaced somewhat.

Engels arrived at Parkhead as a young player making a major step — from a counter-attacking mid-table side in the Bundesliga to a club expected to dominate domestically and compete across four competitions, including the Champions League. The transition was not just tactical, but cultural and environmental, and crucially, he did so without the benefit of a full pre-season with his new teammates.

Arne Engels of Celtic arrives prior to the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic FC and Hibernian FC at Celtic Park on May 10, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Despite that, Engels delivered a steady, if understated, debut campaign. His adaptability and work rate made him a useful figure in Brendan Rodgers’ squad, and his contributions, particularly in the engine room of midfield, did not go unnoticed by those who understood the nuance of his role.

One such observer is veteran commentator Derek Rae, who saw Engels’ emergence at Augsburg up close and has been unequivocal in his belief that Celtic have signed a player of real promise.

“I have to say, I am a believer that Arne Engels will go to the next level,” Rae told the Off the Underside podcast.

“I say that because I saw the strides he made when he joined Augsburg. Now, I was in the stadium in Dortmund commentating against Augsburg when he made his debut, and it was a surprise. He had just joined. It wasn’t a high-profile transfer. He had just joined, and he was named in the starting XI. It was a very dramatic 4–3 game in Dortmund’s favour. But Engels immediately looked really good.”

Rae highlighted Engels’ intelligence and versatility as key traits that allowed him to thrive in a demanding Bundesliga environment.

“What I liked about him in Augsburg was that you could see that it was a versatile player. They would often use him as somebody who would sit deep, and call him a defensive midfield player, but not in the sort of traditional Scottish interpretation of a defensive midfield player. Somebody who’s maybe a bit roughhouse, and robust, and putting in challenges. More of a sort of good on the ball defensive midfield player. A number six.

“You could see the evolution there, and you could see that he could play in a number of other positions too. And (he) could take a very good corner. Certainly in his repertoire as well. So, I think that he went from being a €1.5 million player to being worth 10 times that in a very short period of time, eventually joining Celtic.”

That rapid rise may have added to the pressure on Engels to hit the ground running in Glasgow, but Rae is convinced the midfielder still has more to give: “So I do think that there’s a player there, still young, who has the ability to go even further. And I think he’s in good hands with Brendan Rodgers as his manager.”

Arne Engels at Ibrox. theRangers v Celtic, 4 May 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Rodgers himself echoed that sentiment on the eve of Celtic’s opening match in the Como Cup, where the Hoops take on Ajax tonight.

While some outside noise has focused on the transfer fee, the manager insisted that his judgement is based entirely on what the player offers on the pitch.

“Arne Engels, his running power, was really helpful for us,” Rodgers said in his pre-match conversations with the written press.

“He’s a young player who will get better. Whether a player costs £250,000 or £12m, I’m not really concerned.”

Arne Engels of Celtic celebrates at full time during the SPL | Premier League match between Dundee United FC and Celtic FC at Tannadice Park on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Engels now enters the 2025–26 season in a stronger position — no longer adjusting, he’s now building up to becoming a key performer this season. A full pre-season under Rodgers, alongside the arrival of new signing Benjamin Nygren, who adds competition and quality to the midfield, could help push Engels to another level.

The hope amongst the Celtic support is that this season will see Engels unlock more of the promise that made him such a standout in Germany — and that with a steadier platform, the Celtic support will see the full value of our record signing emerge over the coming months.

Niall J

Read this – The backstory to Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter

Thank you to everyone who has already pre-ordered the late David Potter’s last ever Celtic book, Celtic in the Eighties, which will be published on the fifth day of September by Celtic Star Books. The link to pre-order your copy is below…

Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter, out 5 September 2025. Available to pre-order now.