Let no one downplay just how important Champions League qualification can be, not only to Celtic but to every club on the continent.
It’s not just the prestige you earn while securing a seat at Europe’s top table, it the funds that a season spent playing alongside the likes of Atalanta, RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund frees up for ambitious, high-profile acquisitions.
Acquisitions like Celtic’s club-record, deadline day arrival of Arne Engels.
A place in the Champions League group-stages not only helped The Hoops meet Augsburg’s £11 million asking price, it also played a massive role in convincing Engels to swap one of the continent’s top-five leagues for the Scottish Premiership.
Marinko Jurendic, Augsburg’s sporting director, admits that the chance to hone his talents alongside some of the finest footballers in the game was the biggest factor in Engels’ decision to leave Bavaria and start a new life in Glasgow.
Celtic sign Augsburg youngster Arne Engels
“In our discussions with Arne Engels, we sensed how important the opportunity to play in the Champions League was for him,” Jurendic tells the official Augsburg website.
“That was the basis for entering into the final talks with Celtic and creating a good foundation for the transfer for everyone involved.
“We are of course delighted that, with Arne’s transfer to the traditional Scottish club, we can enable another young player to take the next big step in his career with optimal support and plenty of playing time at FCA.
“We would like to thank Arne for his commitment and the great moments at FCA. We wish him all the best for the rest of his career.”
Engels, a highly versatile operator who has been tipped to evolve into a fine ‘number ten’ despite having already thrived in a variety of other roles, officially became a Celtic player on deadline day.
The 20-year-old Belgian is now also the most expensive signing in the club’s history.
Adam Idah’s status as The Hoops’ record addition lasted for only a few weeks, the £9.5 million Celtic paid Norwich City now placing him third in the all-time list between Engels and now-Leicester City striker Odsonne Edouard.
The Scottish champions also signed Dundee enforcer Luke McCowan and Sheffield United’s left-sided centre-half Auston Trusty on deadline day.
Brendan Rodgers thinks the Belgian will be a success
“We are delighted to bring Arne to Celtic,” Rodgers tells the club’s official website of Engels, who scored three goals and set up five more in Germany’s top flight last term.
“He is an exciting young player of real quality who has already made his mark at a really high level in the Bundesliga.
“He has a wide range of attributes which will allow him to play a number of positions in midfield, so we feel he is an excellent acquisition for the club. I think Arne’s style of play, his energy and his technical ability really will suit our game model.
“While Celtic will always be our priority, it is fantastic, too, that Arne is now receiving full international recognition within a top Belgian squad, something he is very deserving of.”
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