They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, and that was the case with Celtic’s Arne Engels this season.
Despite picking up a thigh injury between mid-February and early April, the club’s record signing has clearly not materialised, as Martin O’Neill struggles to find a suitable partner for Callum McGregor in the center of the park.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Reo Hatate and Luke McCowan didn’t make the cut, perhaps unsurprisingly as Engels’ return coincided with a fine end to the campaign, with the Belgian starting all five games after the break.
It was a spack-kick from the 22-year-old who drew the standard of the players at Parkhead on the final day, a reminder of why the club were smart to fend off Nottingham Forest’s £25m bid on deadline day.
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Last seven SPFL matches |
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The guards |
Celtic |
Hearts |
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4-2 (W) |
1-2 (W) |
2-2 (D) |
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3-6 (W) |
1-0 (W) |
3-1 (W) |
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2-3 (L) |
3-1 (W) |
1-2 (W) |
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2-1 (L) |
1-2 (W) |
2-1 (W) |
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3-1 (L) |
3-1 (W) |
1-1 (D) |
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1-2 (L) |
2-3 (W) |
3-0 (W) |
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2-5 (W) |
3-1 (W) |
3-1 (L) |
Whether the former Augsburg man will remain on the sidelines this summer remains to be seen, however, with reinforcements already in place.
Celtic are emerging as favorites to sign a new midfielder this summer
From goalkeeper to forward, the Hoops squad is in need of a major overhaul going into next season, and even double O’Neill can’t completely write over the cracks.
Midfield will be a priority, given the possibility of potential departures, with late exits for Hatate and Paulo Bernardo seemingly on the cards, while Oxlade-Chamberlain’s deal expires in June.
Another name that has been mooted of late is Motherwell star Elliot Watt, with Celtic appearing to be competing with Rangers for his signature, although no real progress has been made yet.
Elsewhere, on the other hand, is the Hungarian shop Csakfoci have given an exciting update on 24-year-old ETO FC star Milan Vitalis who may be on the verge of a move away this summer.
According to the report, the suggestion is that Celtic are the favorites to snap him up, and the piece notes that the Hoops ‘may sign him’, following an outstanding season for the Hungarian champions.
This has been confirmed by GOAL, who report that although Aberdeen and Rangers are also in contention, Celtic are ‘closer to signing’ the player.
How did Vitalis compare to Engels this season
Interest in Vitalis could provide a strategy for the next permanent manager at Parkhead, with Robbie Keane rumored to be the front-runner to take over from O’Neill.
The former Republic of Ireland international has been in charge of Hungary in recent seasons, before stepping down this month after Ferencvaros missed out on Vitalis’ ETO title.
Coincidence or not, it wouldn’t be surprising if the move was led by Keane, if he was on his way to Glasgow, although regardless, this could prove a shrewd deal.
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Of course, Vitalis – who is out of contract at his current club next summer – is still young in a good club and alone in his country, as he stands out among his midfield players.
In total, he scored nine goals and provided four assists in his 31 starts, and created nine ‘big chances’ and averaged two key assists per game.
In comparison, in the Premiership, Engels enjoyed a less productive campaign in terms of attack, scoring just five goals and registering just three assists, despite starting 22 times.
Technically, the Belgian was not at the same level as his number 27 teammate, creating six ‘big chances’ and averaging just 1.4 passes per game.
Both men lost the ball 12.3 times per game on average, but Vitalis came out on top in terms of pass accuracy (87% vs 83%), a mark that defies his name.
What is also encouraging, and potentially more important for the Celtic midfielder, is the physicality and fight that the Hungary international brings to the table, as he has shown this season.
Overall, he averaged 3.2 tackles and blocks per game, while winning 56% of all his duels. In comparison, Engels averaged just 1.5 interceptions, while winning only 41% of all his duels.
Throw into the mix Vitalis who also has the ability to dive from deep, better Engels and in terms of effective dribbling per game (1.0 vs 0.1), and it’s clear to see that he could represent a clear improvement on the £11m Celtic man.
Celtic are working on a deal to make their best signing since Nygren at Parkhead
Another exciting import from Scandinavia could be on his way to Celtic this summer.
