West Ham close in on Celtic star Arne Engels, eye Premier return

West Ham United are now 'Close' to securing Celtic midfielder Arne Engels, the 22‑year‑old Belgian star whose goal‑rich record has drawn Premier League attention as the club pushes for an immediate return to the top flight after a disappointing relegation to the Championship.

Nuno Espirito Santo confirmed he will remain as head coach to lead West Ham back to the Premier League, while captain Jarrod Bowen also committed to stay despite external interest.

The club has already recouped more than £140 million this summer, selling Mateus Fernandes to Tottenham Hotspur and Crysencio Summerville to Al‑Hilal.

With fresh funds, West Ham can now pursue new signings to bolster a squad already tipped as a favourite for the Championship title next season.

Italian journalist Matteo Moretto posted on X on Friday morning that the Hammers are closing in on the signing of Celtic midfielder Arne Engels, though no fee has been disclosed.

Engels, a Belgium international, joined Celtic in 2024 for a then club‑record £11 million and has since recorded 17 goals and 21 assists in 98 appearances for the Glasgow side.

Celtic turned down a £25 million offer from Nottingham Forest for the 22‑year‑old less than six months ago, underscoring his high valuation.

The report comes via Reuters and was written By  James Beavis, a Senior Editor at GIVEMESPORT who graduated with a Sports Journalism degree from Southampton Solent University in 2012.

Beavis joined Football FanCast in 2016 after three years at Shoot Magazine, moved to GMS in 2020, and now creates exclusive Premier League content for GiveMeSport, encouraging fans to follow us, try the platform, give feedback and stay tuned for the signing news now, as the star continues to attract interest.