Nottingham Forest are set to become the clear frontrunners in the race to sign Celtic midfielder Arne Engels, following their record-breaking £115 million sale of Elliot Anderson to Manchester City. The massive cash injection will provide the capital for Forest to tempt Celtic into selling Engels, according to Belgian outlet Walfoot.
Anderson's Mega Move Fuels Forest's Ambition
Elliot Anderson, an England international, is undergoing a medical in New York after Forest accepted a whopping £115 million offer from Manchester City. The midfielder is currently in the United States with the Three Lions on World Cup duty and will complete the formalities of his record-breaking Premier League switch there, amid Thomas Tuchel's preparations for their final group stage encounter with Panama.
The sale provides Forest with significant financial firepower, more than quadrupling the amount they previously offered for Engels. In January, Forest saw a £25 million bid rejected by Celtic on Deadline Day, with Martin O'Neill praising the club for showing ambition and holding on to the star midfielder.
Engels' Impact at Celtic
Since the rejected bid, Engels has played a key role in Celtic's success, helping the Hoops reel in Hearts and claim a fifth successive Premiership crown. However, Forest are now expected to come calling again, this time armed with significantly more funds.
According to Walfoot, a deal needs to be done either next week or early the following week, with Engels reportedly adamant he wants a full pre-season with whichever new team he might join. Forest's spending power catapults them to the front of the queue for the Belgian ace.
Competition for Engels
Engels is a man in demand, with Tottenham, Fulham, Roma, and Atletico Madrid all thought to have him high on their wanted lists. However, only Spurs and the Spanish outfit may be able to compete with Forest financially. The East Midlands club could end up spending less than a quarter of their Anderson windfall to secure Engels, making the deal highly attractive.
Celtic are braced for another attempt after the January bid was booted out, but the domino effect of Anderson's mega move is poised to trigger a transfer that could reshape the midfield for both clubs.
