Celtic midfielder Arne Engels looks set to leave the club with Championship outfit West Ham reportedly advancing in talks for the Belgian midfielder.
Nottingham Forest had a £25m bid rejected for the 22-year-old in January, with the Bhoys opting to retain the services of a key player in the midst of a title race.
The sale of Matt O'Riley to Brighton for €29.5m currently leads the way as Celtic's most expensive departure, but there's an overarching sense that the club could raise record-breaking funds for Engels -- who joined the club for a reported £11m in 2024.
Engels scored four goals and recorded two assists in 25 pre-split Scottish Premiership appearances last season, and so the need to replace the midfielder is glaring.
We take a look at three players that Celtic could sign to reinforce their midfield.
Mika Baur
Mika Baur -- who plies his trade for Bundesliga outfit SC Paderborn -- is amongst the candidates being discussed by Celtic as they look to add to their midfield options.
The 22-year-old missed his side's pre-season fixture against Southampton on Wednesday due to a reported illness, but sources have since suggested that his absence was as a result of the Hoops' ongoing interest in the German.
Baur reportedly agreed personal terms with Celtic over a week ago and is now awaiting an agreement between Paderborn and the reigning Scottish Premiership champions.
Baur was central to Paderborn's promotion to the German top-flight last campaign, recording 10 goal contributions in 33 2. Bundesliga contests. A dynamic midfielder renowned for his proficient passing and high work rate, Baur could prove a shrew addition for the Glasgow-based outfit.
Isaac Price
Celtic were amongst the teams credited with an interest in Isaac Price in 2023, but the midfielder chose a move away from the UK in the form of Belgian outfit Standard Liege.
After impressing in the Belgian Pro League, West Brom signed Price for a fee in the region of £2.5m in January 2025.
Featuring in all but three Championship contests upon signing for the club in the second half of the 2024/25 term, it was the 2025/26 season where the Northern Irishman made a name for himself.
Price was ever-present for the Baggies, scoring scoring eight goals and notching three assists in 46 second tier contests. He proved indispensable for the West Midlands outfit as they narrowly survived relegation to the third tier, and while Celtic may have to pay a club-record fee to pry him away from The Hawthorns, he'd be a standout performer in Scotland's top-flight.
Gvidas Gineitis
Gvidas Gineitis was mentioned as a potential replacement for Engels when reports first broke that the Belgian could be leaving Celtic earlier in the window.
The Lithuanian has enjoyed a regular role in the Torino midfield since joining the club in 2022, making 59 Serie A appearances across the 2024/25 and 2025/26 campaigns.
Competent in all three midfield positions, Gineitis thrives in a traditional box-to-box role and could add legs to Martin O'Neill's midfield in the event of Engels' departure.
