Celtic reject Engels bid and confirm Johnston interest

What the report says

Celtic have turned down a West Ham approach for midfielder Arne Engels, with manager Martin O'Neill saying the offer did not come close to the club’s valuation, according to BBC Sport Football. O'Neill also confirmed that Everton have made contact about right-back Alastair Johnston, though he said he was not certain whether that contact had already included a formal bid.

The BBC report says Everton manager David Moyes spoke to O'Neill in advance to indicate that contact would follow. The article adds that Nottingham Forest previously failed with an offer for Engels earlier this year, underlining that Celtic have already resisted interest in the 22-year-old Belgium international.

Engels joined Celtic from Augsburg in August 2024, while Johnston arrived from Montreal in January 2023. O'Neill described the transfer interest as disappointing but unsurprising, saying it is hard to prevent players from being tempted by opportunities in bigger leagues. He also said Celtic’s priority would be to keep both players, but if that proves impossible the club would need to look for replacements. The situation matters because both players are part of Celtic’s squad planning during an active transfer period, and any departure could affect their strength in domestic and European competition.