The Belgian footballer on discussion here is Arne Engels, born on September 8, 2003, making him a young prospect at 22 years of age. Engels is a central figure for Celtic, acting as a midfield dynamo in the heart of the pitch. He is an imposing figure on the pitch, standing 6ft (1.84m) tall and weighing in at a solid 11st 2lb (71kg). The number 27 is emblazoned on his back as he proudly represents Celtic, and has the additional honour of appearing for the Belgian national team.
With a market value of roughly £10m, a slightly rounded figure from the €12.00m stated by the football database Transfermarkt, it's clear to see the financial and sporting value Engels brings to Celtic.
Before Celtic, Engels kicked off his footballing career in 2015 as a trainee at Club NXT, a team competing in the Challenger Pro League based in his native Belgium. In January 2023, the aspiring midfielder moved away from his home country to join the Bundesliga team, Augsburg in Germany for a nominal fee of around £100k.
Despite only making a single appearance in his final season with Augsburg, Engels showed promise during his time in Germany, with a particular highlight being the 2023 - 2024 season where he made 32 first team appearances and netted three goals. It was clear that his potential was recognised beyond Germany when Celtic forked out roughly £11m to bring him to Scottish shores in August 2024.
In his debut season at Celtic (2024 - 2025), Engels made a strong impression with 34 appearances and nine goals. Currently, in the season of 2025 - 2026, he has already made four first team appearances, indicating another active season to come.
The Belgian’s commitment can also be seen in his participation in various tournaments for Celtic such as the League Cup 2025 - 2026 with one start, Scottish Cup 2024 - 2025 with four starts and one appearance as a substitute, and Champions League Qualifiers 2025 - 2026 with two appearances as a substitute.
Engels's journey from a trainee in Belgium to a key midfielder for Celtic in the Scottish Premiership has been meteoric, with his current performance indicating an even brighter future at Celtic.
