According to reports from the Italian press, Celtic’s highly-rated Belgian midfielder Arne Engels is a summer transfer target for Serie A outfit Lazio.
INFO ARL: Engels of Celtic FC is a profile that has caught the attention of Lazio’s hierarchy.
Nottingham Forest had submitted a €25 million bid on the final day of the transfer window, which was rejected by the Scottish club.
Lazio are continuing talks that were already… https://t.co/4rjdeh9G8O pic.twitter.com/PmU3TI95bH
— Lorenzo Lepore (@lorenzooleporee) April 20, 2026
The Bhoys now look like they have a battle to hold on to the midfield star beyond this summer.
Engels has impressed since joining Celtic
Arne Engels has produced some highly impressive displays since joining Celtic from German minnows Augsburg for a club-record £11m fee in the summer of 2024.
An injury earlier this season meant that Engels missed two months of the current campaign. However, he has still managed 40 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring five goals and also assisting the same number.
His numbers don’t quite match last season’s tally of ten goals and eight assists across all competitions, but that may be something to do with the team’s underperformance for much of this season, and of course, the time he spent sidelined through injury.
However, it is not just Engels’ goal involvement that is strong. He is regarded as an excellent passer of the ball who is highly capable of producing key passes. The Belgian is also adept at taking set-pieces, just adding another string to his bow.
Celtic could lose Engels this summer
Engels’ performances for the Scottish team were always going to attract the gaze of clubs operating in higher-profile leagues. The Hoops turned down multiple offers from Premier League Nottingham Forest in the January transfer window, including a £25m bid late on deadline day.
There is likely to be more interest shown in Engels this summer, with Serie A outfit Lazio just one of the clubs interested in signing the Belgian starlet. The Eagles are expecting interest in their own midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, who could be sold, as he has failed to nail down a starting position in the team’s midfield.
Although considered a replacement for the Nigerian international, if Engels did make the switch to the Italian capital, he would expect a more prominent role than the player he is replacing.