As they enter the year’s last international break, Celtic couldn’t have wished for a better start to the season in any competition.
With ten victories and one tie in their last eleven league games, the Hoops are presently leading the Scottish Premiership standings and will face off in the League Cup final next month.
The team of Brendan Rodgers has performed well in the Champions League as well. Their 7-1 loss to Borussia Dortmund was the campaign’s low point, but they have already defeated Slovan and RB Leipzig and drawn with Serie A team Atalanta.
Despite finishing last in their Champions League group and winning just one game the previous season, the Scottish powerhouses had already surpassed their 2023–2024 campaign performance.
Summertime signing They have improved in Europe thanks in large part to Arne Engels. In four tournament games, the Belgium international has one goal and three assists.
The 21-year-old former Bundesliga starlet is a very promising talent, and the Hoops appear to be considering a move to get another midfield player with a lot of promise.
The performances of Arne Engels this season
In the summer transfer window, the Hoops paid £11 million to sign the Belgian wonder from Augsburg, smashing their club-record transfer fee.
With four direct goal involvements in four Champions League games for the Bhoys, the 21-year-old sensation has already made a strong impression in Europe.
Engels has drawn attention with his performances in the Premiership for Rodgers in addition to his outstanding performances for the Scottish powerhouses on the European level.
With five goals and “big chances” generated in eight games, the £11 million maestro has had a significant impact at the top end of the pitch, as the table above shows.
The midfielder still needs to improve his ability to be a complete option in the middle of the park, though, as he currently averages fewer than one tackle and one interception per game.
Along with his already remarkable skills on the ball, he still has lots of time to develop and enhance that aspect of his game at the age of 21, which is why he might be the team’s future.
By snagging a premium asset in January, Celtic can now acquire another midfield player who has the time to establish himself as a staple in the starting lineup for many years to come.
Scottish talent is of interest to Celtic.
The Daily Mail claims that Celtic is not the only team vying for the services of Motherwell centre midfielder Lennon Miller.
According to the report, Premier League team Liverpool may join another Scottish powerhouse Glasgow Rangers in a potential bidding battle for the Scotland U21 international.
Arne Slot may be tempted to leave Scotland for England by the prospect of contending for the Premier League title, thus Celtic and Rangers may be praying that their team does not enter the hunt for the adolescent phenomenon.
Rodgers wants to add the gifted potential to his team, and the Daily Mail reports that both Glasgow teams are preparing attempts to recruit the Motherwell star when the January transfer market opens.
According to the report, the Premiership team wants to pay a club-record fee for the young player and is seeking a fee of about £4 million to let him move on. Celtic’s payment of £3 million to get David Turnbull is the current record.
The article does not, however, specify if Rangers or Celtic are willing to spend the £4 million necessary to get him before the season’s second half.
However, Rodgers needs to pressure the board to move quickly, especially in light of Liverpool’s rumoured interest, to avoid the Hoops losing out on the gifted star and having to watch him succeed elsewhere.
The 18-year-old might be the Celtic midfield’s future alongside Engels, therefore the Premiership winners need to negotiate a £4 million deal to get him to Parkhead in January.
Why Lennon Miller should be signed by Celtic
The Motherwell star might be the ideal signing to match Engels in the middle of the park if Rodgers is trying to assemble the team’s future midfield.
First of all, he is eighteen and, like the Belgian celebrity, has a long, long time to gain experience. As a result, his value could increase significantly.
This implies that Celtic may have two midfield players with the skill to have a significant impact on the pitch and to generate millions of dollars for the team in the future.
Miller would likely help Engles by offering a defensive presence in midfield, based on his performances in the Premiership for Motherwell since the beginning of the previous campaign.
In 25 league games during the 2023–24 season, the young sensation—who James McFadden has called “ridiculous”—dominated opposing players, winning 70% of his aerial battles and 68% of his ground duels.
The £4 million dynamo might therefore be the ideal counterpoint for the Belgian midfield star by providing a strong and aggressive presence off the ball, enabling the former Augsburg player to flourish in the final third without being exposed for his lack of defensive prowess.
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