“I don’t care,” Arne Engels tells his critics. “I’m here to perform and to get better”

In partnership with

The Celtic Star

·22 de abril de 2025

“I don’t care,” Arne Engels tells his critics. “I’m here to perform and to get better”

Arne Engels is set to make his 50th appearance for Celtic this weekend at Tannadice after helping Celtic reach the Scottish Cup Final on Sunday afternoon with an emphatic 5-0 win over St Johnstone at Hampden Park…

Arne Engels scores. St Mirren v Celtic, Scottish Premiership, Saturday 1st March 2025. Photo: Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Celtic paid Bundesliga side FCAugsburg £11m for the midfielder, an investment for the long term, and it’s certainly been a satisfactory first campaign for the 21 year-old Belgium international midfielder. The fee was a record for Celtic, one that is likely to be smashed this summer, but like Adam Idah, the size of the transfer fee had nothing at all to do with the player.

Vídeos OneFootball

It’s notable that both players started in the Scottish Cup semi-final and as Brendan Rodgers likes to avoid changes when the team is playing well, that should also be the case at Tannadice as Celtic look at wrapping up the title officially, despite it already being done and dusted with a 15 points advantage and a plus 42 goal difference lead with just the five post split games to play.

READ THIS…Sandman’s Definitive Ratings – St Jabberwocky v Celtic

Celtic s Jota scores and celebrates his goal with Arne Engels during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Aberdeen at Celtic Park, on 25th February 2025 . Picture by Mark Runnacles Celtic v Aberdeen

Speaking to the mainstream media at Hampden at the weekend, Arne Engels touched on the criticism that he receives that filters back to him via his parents. Hopefully they are reading sites like this and not just some of the hot-headed nonsense posted on social media, particularly on X.

Arne doesn’t see this stuff himself but is away of it. If he wants to know how well he’s doing he should ask the manager, or just look at it logically himself. Have a look around the squad and on the Celtic bench at the weekend both Paulo Bernardo and Luke McCowan were there with Engels joining Reo Hatate and Callum McGregor in the starting eleven in what is a settled midfield three.

READ THIS…“Our ambition is there to win and win for this great club,” Brendan Rodgers

Adam Idah of Celtic celebrates scoring the second goal with teammate Arne Engels and Cameron Carter-Vickers during the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup Quarter-Final match between Celtic and Hibernian at Celtic Park on March 09, 2025.. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

“I don’t care — I’m here to just perform and to get better. I’m still young, I still need to learn. I think I have good numbers and good performances,” Engels said, via Scottish Sun. “Everybody has something to say and, of course, I’m not reading it. But sometimes you hear it. My parents are telling me, ‘they are saying this or that’.

“But it is up to me to just perform, enjoy my game and enjoy life. I think I’m in a good place, I’m doing well here. And it’s not about me, it’s about the team. I want to be here to help the team and win trophies. We are still in a place to get the three trophies this season. That was a big aim for me.”

READ THIS…Moussa Dembele acquires ownership of a football club

Arne Engels of Celtic during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD8 training on January 28, 2025 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

“I love the pressure, it’s why you play football, to win trophies, and of course Celtic is a massive club. Everybody has something to say, and of course I’m not reading it but sometimes you’re hearing it from my parents telling me ‘They are saying this or that’.

“But it is up to me to just perform and enjoy my game, and enjoy life a bit. It is also an important thing to enjoy your life, and also playing.

Daizen Maeda and Arne Engels of Celtic wait to enter the game as substitutes. Celtic v Dundee United, Premiership, Celtic Park, 15 February 2025 Photo Stuart Wallace Shutterstock

“I love it here, I love being in Glasgow, it’s been an enjoyable season and hopefully we end it well. I love it. The passion is amazing here, everyone is so passionate and so involved. If you walk into the city, they are either shouting your name…or doing something!

“It’s really nice to feel that passion, not only in the stadium but outside the stadium. My parents love it here. I’m in a good place. My big aim here is now just to win the treble and that’s the only thing in my mind,” Engels said. “If that comes, I’m performing well and doing well, it’s not up to me to do the selection. I’m just working hard and doing my best, then we will see.”

So have we seen the best of Arne Engels in a Celtic jersey? He’s going for 55 appearances, he’s already established himself in the starting XI and he’s scored ten goals but no we’ve not. There’s much more to come and he’ll be even better next season with his feet under the table and with the experience of a debut season behind him.

He’s also likely to lose the tag of Celtic’s record signing in the summer transfer market and that means someone else will get that weight added to their shoulders.

“We still have a lot of games we need to play, we are in a good place in the league and in the Scottish Cup final, which is a step closer to our goal. It’s all about the mindset. You have Champions League games at Celtic Park, you are overwhelmed a bit and then you come in the next week, and you’re playing a team away that is maybe a less bigger stadium than you’re used to.

St Johnstone v Celtic, Scottish Cup Semi-Final at Hampden Park on 20 April 2025: Arne Engels Celtic. Photo Alex Todd IMAGO

“But that’s all about getting the mindset to play games really well and to perform like in the first half especially. You kill them, you put in a lot of energy and then everything goes really well. It is something that I have learned this year and that was also a thing I wanted to experience, being the better team, and that I also needed to make the game a bit, and create a lot.

“I think I’m doing well and the team are doing well.”

Arne Engels is doing just fine at Celtic, Mr and Mrs Engels. Your boy’s doing great!

Here’s Arne speaking to the media at Hampden on Sunday after the Scottish Cup semi-final win over St Johnstone…

Help raise funds for Celtic Youth Academy by playing the Celtic Pools Weekly Lottery and you could win up to £25,000. The lottery is £1 per week. Click on image above to join.