Tottenham are planning a shock £25m move for the midfielder after Tonali and Fernandes
Tottenham Hotspur are now plotting a surprise move for Celtic’s Arne Engels, who could wish to move to the Premier League.
Roberto De Zerbi has greatly improved his options in the middle of the park this summer, signing Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali, but there are signs that Engels is ready to test himself south of the border.
Former Scotland international James McFadden has been impressed with the midfielder’s performances for Celtic.
“He’s a class act. You see the confidence. Sometimes you see players who go for big money and you think: ‘How are they going to deal with that pressure?’ Especially when he was young.
“He’s just turned 21, but he’s at a high level. He’s comfortable on the ball and he understands well how to play in that midfield position. He knows when to step up, when to score. His reading of the game, he tracks back and covers his teammates.”
Since arriving from FC Augsburg, the Belgian has been a key player for Celtic, who have played 64 Scottish Premiership games over the past two seasons, scoring 14 goals and providing nine assists.
What’s worse is that the 22-year-old is also willing to get into the back end of the field, averaging 3.7 saves per 90 possessions.
Tottenham are keen to sign Arne Engels
According to Football Insider, Tottenham are now planning a “surprise” move for Engels, which could cost £25m.
Pete O’Rourke believes the midfielder will want to go to England.
The transfer correspondent added: “It will be difficult for Celtic to keep him this summer, even though they rejected his contract in January.
“Obviously, they have a lot of time to plan ahead in this summer transfer window. I’m sure that Engels himself would be interested in a move if a move to the Premier League comes up. For Tottenham, too, their interest has been surprised perhaps in other aspects.
“They have already strengthened their field with Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes.”
|
Who would be the best signing for Tottenham? |
|
|---|---|
|
Sandro Tonali |
Of the three possible midfield players for Tottenham, Tonali is the most experienced at the Champions League level, having played 32 games in the competition, recording one goal and four assists. As such, the Italian would be well-suited to make an immediate impact at Spurs. |
|
Mateus Fernandes |
Fernandes may not have tested himself in the Champions League, but he arguably did better than Tonali in the Premier League last season. The former West Ham United man picked up three goals and four assists, while the Italian player failed to score, scoring one goal. |
|
Arne Engels |
Engels is the left-back option for Spurs, given that he is still testing himself in the Premier League. However, the former FC Augsburg man has made four appearances for Belgium, and could be signed for just £25m, making him a cheaper option than Tonali and Fernandes. |
