Celtic could see bid accepted to sign World Cup star

He proved so vital in the run-in, yet Belgian midfielder Arne Engels appears destined to depart Celtic this summer, having previously been the subject of a £25m deadline day offer back in February.

Nottingham Forest were the suitors on that occasion, although the Midlands side could well be trumped by Premier League rivals Sunderland, with both clubs now among those battling it out for their signature.

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

Signed from Augsburg on 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 he will take some replacing should an exit be on the cards.

Celtic could see bid accepted for World Cup midfielder

With O’Neill confirmed as the new permanent manager in Glasgow, the onus now is on significantly strengthening a squad that appears in dire need of reinforcement.

Thankfully, work already appears to be underway on that front, with reports earlier this week indicating that the Hoops have received positive signals from Hibernian’s Miguel Chaiwa, with the Zambian said to be keen on making the switch.

With exits likely for Paulo Bernardo and Reo Hatate, alongside Engels, multiple midfield signings will be needed, particularly with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s fate yet to be determined.

One potential move that could be on the cards is for Bosnian star, Ivan Basic, with Football Insider reporting that Celtic are lining up a move for the Astana midfielder.

As per the report, the Scottish champions are likely to be able to strike a cut-price deal considering that the 24-year-old has just six months remaining on his contract, with the Kazakh outfit willing to sanction a sale.

The piece suggests that the Parkhead hierarchy have been keeping tabs on Basic for an extended period now, although they may need to ‘move quickly’, not least should he impress at the World Cup.

Why Basic could be the perfect Engels replacement at Celtic

It would feel a shame if Engels were to depart after just two seasons in Glasgow, the young Belgian having certainly made a difference following his return from injury toward the end of last term.

It was, of course, his spot-kick that dragged O’Neill’s men level on the final day, one of five Premiership goals that he converted across 2025/26.

Basic might not have been quite so clinical for Astana of late, although he did start the 2026 season on strong footing, scoring and assisting three goals in just ten games so far.

The silky left-footer, who can operate either as a number six or as a number eight, also showcased his creative, progressive flair, averaging 1.4 key passes per game, while boasting a stellar 1.7 successful dribbles per game.

For comparison, Engels also averaged 1.4 key passes per Premiership outing last term, although he only recorded 0.1 successful dribbles, not exactly offering the most mobile, dynamic option alongside Callum McGregor.

Where Basic also has the edge is with regard to his composure in possession and ability to retain the ball, having averaged a 92% pass accuracy rate, well ahead of Engels’ own 83% pass rate.

There is also plenty to like about what the 18-cap Bosnian can offer out of possession too, having recovered 8.1 balls per game in Kazakhstan this season, again far superior to Engels’ own average of just two recoveries per Premiership appearance.

That completeness to his game was on full display in his country’s 1-1 draw with hosts Canada over the weekend, with Basic racking up a stellar haul of five key passes, despite only actually touching the ball on 32 occasions.

He also completed all five of his attempted crosses and successfully completed 100% of his attempted dribbles, having shone alongside fellow Celtic target, Benjamin Tahirovic, as part of a midfield two.

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

The chance to cash in on Engels for a bumper fee, before acquiring a perfect, bargain replacement feels almost too good to ignore, with such a deal set to mark a perfect way to kick off the summer at Paradise.