RB Leipzig are considering a shock January move for Celtic midfielder Arne Engels. The £11m signing from Augsburg is being linked with a return to the Bundesliga with the well-oiled Leipzig eager to sign the Belgian Internationalist.
Leipzig are in the market for a central midfielder and Borussia Monchengladbach’s Rocco Reitz appears to be their preferred candidate. However, they have also looked at adding the 22-year-old from Celtic.
German transfer journalist Florian Plettenberg has confirmed that Leipzig are exploring a deal for Engels but that there are a number of clubs interested in signing the player.
🚨🔴⚪️ EXCL | RB Leipzig are also exploring a deal for Arne #Engels.
… for example, if Rocco Reitz does not arrive in the summer.
A winter departure for Engels is also possible. Plenty of enquiries. The 22 y/o top midfielder is under contract with Celtic until 2028.… pic.twitter.com/YiuwioTF2N
— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) January 19, 2026
Arne Engels of Celtic scores from the spot during the Scottish Premiership match between Livingston and Celtic at Set Fare Arena on December 27, 2025. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)
Celtic cannot afford to sell their best players, especially given how light the squad is at present. Engels has not had his best season but has played some of his best football under Martin O’Neill, playing in the deeper role with Callum McGregor. In modern football, Celtic will need to sell the player to maximise his value but only once a replacement has been identified. Leipzig have a list of two players that they are considering if a deal for their preferred candidate falls through.
Celtic will be looking to add to their squad in the final two weeks of the window, especially with Sunday’s crucial fixture against Hearts at Tynecastle. The Celtic hierarchy met on Monday evening at Lennoxtown in order to address the deficiencies in the squad, bringing in the quality that both Brendan Rodgers and O’Neill have called out for.
Come on Celtic! Let’s take the fiver and cut our losses with this dud!
Wouldn’t class any approach for Engels as a shock myself?
Reason why?
Engels falls into a category of players including Maeda, yang, Trusty, Ralston and Hatate who would be having an eye upon a potential world cup squad place for themselves imo?
At present such places are possibly under treat, along with struggling for form, to be considered for a world cup squad place for there countries. Especially with remaining with ourselves as things currently stand imo?
So wouldn’t be surprised at present players reaching out to there agents to try and explore if potential moves away from ourselves, is possibly for themselves during the course of this window imo?
That’s without the likes of Paulo, Welsh, and Shin who possibly don’t see much of a future playing wise with ourselves imo?
Along with kasper, kelchi, Saracchi and Kenny who i don’t see being with ourselves beyond this season imo. And without having a clue where AJ and CCV and even Calmac stand upon this current shitshow?
That potentially gives us some indication of just how depleted our squad currently is, for the mentality that is required for the remainder of this season, especially all the while this window remains open, with the amount of challenges that awaits?
That’s the biggest challenge that MoN and Maloney are currently facing, especially as the amount of new players required isn’t going to overcome the problems that potentially exists within our current squad imo?
A rebuild is required, but won’t be happening during this window for sure.
So it’s potentially trying to salvage a situation within our current squad, that MoN and Maloney are currently looking at, with players that can be trusted for the remainder of this season.
Where we currently stand as a squad at present, remains a guessing game for so many players and where there mindset are actually at?
But still say that no amount of potential new incoming players are going to solve the problems that potentially exists within our squad imo.
Hampered even moreso if progress is made within the europa league and only 3 changes allowed to our original European squad?