Celtic midfielder Arne Engels has agreed personal terms on a five-year contract with West Ham United, with the two clubs settling on a fee of £22m for the 22-year-old Belgium international. Meanwhile, Rangers have pulled out of a proposed £6.5m move for PSV Eindhoven winger Couhaib Driouech, and Celtic are already searching for a replacement for Engels amid a busy period of transfer activity across Scottish football.
The Engels deal is set to become a record fee for a transfer involving a club from the English Championship, according to TeamTalk. With Engels departing, Celtic are now assessing options to fill the gap left in midfield.
How close is the Engels transfer to completion?
According to a report from a national broadcaster's sports desk, West Ham were closing in on completing the signing, with the transfer widely described as a £22m deal. The same report suggested Engels may not be available for West Ham's opening fixture of the season as the paperwork is finalised. Celtic manager Martin O'Neill confirmed that West Ham wanted Engels available for the start of their campaign and admitted the offer had proven very difficult to turn down, as detailed in further coverage from the same outlet. A separate report from an in-depth football analysis outlet indicated Engels could miss West Ham's first match but is expected to make his debut against Charlton on 22 August 2026. Additionally, a specialist transfer news site reported the agreed fee at €25.7m, roughly equivalent to £22m, and noted this would represent West Ham's fourth signing of the summer window.
Who else is Celtic looking at, and who is departing?
Forward Michel-Ange Balikwisha appears set to leave Celtic, having reportedly fallen out of favour under manager O'Neill's tactical setup. Monza, Basel and Elversberg have all scouted the 25-year-old, according to Sacha Tavolieri on social media.
Celtic are also targeting Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Balazs Toth, 28, though the Championship club is expected to demand a fee in excess of £4m for him, per reporting from Alan Nixon. Separately, new LA Galaxy forward Kyogo Furuhashi revealed he turned down the chance to rejoin Celtic, stating his priority was to establish himself at Birmingham City first.
Elsewhere, Celtic are working to retain 17-year-old striker Emmanuel Obidiwe amid interest from Premier League clubs, while former full-back Efrain Juarez has said he believes he is destined to return to Celtic Park one day, this time as manager.
Why did Rangers walk away from the Driouech deal?
Rangers withdrew from their £6.5m pursuit of Driouech, a decision that has left PSV Eindhoven puzzled, with sources suggesting the Dutch club believed the Ibrox side was already aware of the winger's injury situation and that he would soon return to full fitness. PSV also indicated they now expect to receive back what one report described as a disillusioned player following the collapse of the move.
According to a report from a British sports broadcaster, Rangers have since shifted their attention to alternative targets, with PSV confirming Driouech will return to the club. However, a separate transfer-focused outlet reported that Rangers could yet return with a fresh bid of up to €8m for the 24-year-old, suggesting the saga may not be entirely over. The pursuit had already been complicated earlier in the window by injury concerns and interest from Celta Vigo, according to prior reporting from a British sports broadcaster.
In other Ibrox news, manager Derek McInnes is understood to have personally intervened to secure the loan signing of 27-year-old left-back James Penrice from AEK Athens. Former Rangers midfielder Derek Ferguson suggested his son Lewis, a 26-year-old Scotland international, had indeed been contacted by the club, but implied the approach was ultimately fruitless given Bologna's valuation of the player.
What other moves are happening across the Scottish game?
Former Hearts winger Alexandros Kyziridis, 25, scored and was sent off during his debut for Turkish side Corum, which finished 2-2 against Galatasaray. St Mirren have completed a loan agreement with Arsenal for 20-year-old winger Ismeal Kabia. Speculation linking Newcastle United with a temporary move to Murrayfield during a possible redevelopment of St James' Park has been dismissed, with no discussions having taken place between the Premier League club and Scottish Rugby.
In a lighter story, East Kilbride manager Mick Kennedy has offered to sponsor shirt numbers for players at fellow SPFL club Morton, who have reportedly been short of squad numbers.
What happens next?
Engels is expected to be available for West Ham's fixture against Charlton on 22 August 2026 if his transfer is finalised in time, per a specialist transfer outlet. Rangers, meanwhile, are preparing for a Premier Sports Cup last-16 tie and a Conference League play-off against Jablonec following their withdrawal from the Driouech deal, according to a British sports broadcaster's report. Celtic are due to face Dundee United in the Scottish League Cup, with O'Neill saying he expects further signings before the transfer window closes, as noted in the same broadcaster's coverage. Separately, O'Neill was reported to have missed a recent league fixture following a brief hospital stay for what Celtic described as a small procedure, though he was said to be recovering well and had visited the squad beforehand, according to a football news outlet.
Key Facts
- Arne Engels, 22, has agreed a five-year deal with West Ham United in a £22m transfer from Celtic.
- Rangers withdrew from a £6.5m move for PSV winger Couhaib Driouech, 24, though a fresh bid of up to €8m has been floated.
- Celtic manager Martin O'Neill missed a recent match following a brief hospital procedure but is reported to be recovering.
- St Mirren have agreed a loan deal with Arsenal for 20-year-old winger Ismeal Kabia.
- Engels could make his West Ham debut against Charlton on 22 August 2026.
