Celtic have received a request to sign the World Cup star

He has proved to be a key player in the run, however Belgian midfielder Arne Engels looks set to leave Celtic this summer, having previously been the subject of a £25m deadline day move in February.

Nottingham Forest were rivals at the time, although the Midlands side could be snapped up by Premier League rivals Sunderland, with both clubs now among those vying for his signature.

The grass hasn’t always been greener for Celtic’s most notable sales of recent years, be it Matt O’Riley, Jota or Kyogo Furuhashi, but it almost seems inevitable that Engels will be the next departure from Parkhead.

Signed from Augsburg in a club-record £11m deal two years ago, the 22-year-old has quietly emerged as a key figure in Martin O’Neill’s side, ensuring a replacement should he be on the cards.

Celtic could see a welcome bid for the World Cup midfielder

With O’Neill confirmed as the new manager on a permanent basis in Glasgow, the task is now on strengthening a squad that appears to be in dire need of strengthening.

Thankfully, the work seems to be ongoing, as earlier this week reports suggested that the Hoops had received positive signals from Hibernian Miguel Chaiwa, and the Zambian is keen to make the switch.

With the possible exits of Paulo Bernardo and Reo Hatate, as well as Engels, more midfield signings will be needed, especially with the fate of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain still to be decided.

Also on the cards is Bosnian star Ivan Basic, with Football Insider reporting that Celtic will be interested in the Astana midfielder.

According to the report, the Scottish champions may not be able to lower the price as the 24-year-old has just six months left on his contract, with the Kazakh outfit willing to sell.

This piece suggests that the Parkhead hierarchy have held onto Basic for a long time now, although they may need to ‘quickly’, not least if they are to impress at the World Cup.

Why Basic might be the perfect Engels for Celtic

It would be a shame if Engels left after just two seasons in Glasgow, the young Belgian made a difference after returning from injury late last term.

Of course, his spot kick that drew O’Neill’s men level on the final day, one of five Premiership goals he converted in 2025/26.

The bottom line may not have been as clinical for Astana of late, although he has started the 2026 season on a strong footing, scoring and assisting three goals in just ten games so far.

The silky left-footer, who can operate as a number six or as a number eight, has also shown his creative, consistent ability, averaging 1.4 key passes per game, while scoring a stellar 1.7 success per game.

In comparison, Engels also achieved 1.4 important passes in last season’s Premiership outing, although he recorded just 0.1 successful dribbles, not offering the best, dynamic style and Callum McGregor.

Where Basic once again has the edge is in his poise in handling the ball and his ability to handle the ball, posting a 92% pass completion rate, well above Engels’ 83% pass rate.

There’s also plenty to like about what the 18-cap Bosnian can offer off the ball, having conceded 8.1 goals per game in Kazakhstan this season, well above Engels’ average of just two in a Premiership appearance.

That completeness of his game was on full display during his country’s 1-1 draw with hosts Canada at the weekend, when Basic picked up five crucial passes, despite touching the ball 32 times.

He also completed all five of his attempted crosses and completed 100% of his attempts, shining alongside fellow Celtic target Benjamin Tahirovic as part of a midfield duo.

If such performances are maintained, O’Neill and his teammates may face increased competition for his signature, hence the need to strengthen their bid to sign him.

The opportunity to cash in on Engels at a premium, before finding a better, lower-priced alternative sounds too good to pass up, with such a deal set to mark the perfect way to start the summer in Paradise.