Manchester City’s agreement to sign Elliot Anderson could reopen Nottingham Forest’s pursuit of Arne Engels, putting Celtic’s midfielder at the centre of a busy summer market. Forest reportedly offered around €30 million for Engels in January, but Celtic rejected the approaches. With Anderson set to leave, Forest may now have both the means and the urgency to return with another bid.
The connection between the two deals is straightforward: Forest need to plan for midfield without Anderson, and Engels is a player they’ve tracked for months. That doesn’t make him the automatic replacement. Forest’s reported interest in several midfielders suggests they’re weighing different profiles and options, while Celtic will decide whether any new offer reflects Engels’ value to the club.
Anderson has completed his City medical, according to the report, and is expected to be announced soon. The deal is worth €134 million (£116m) in guaranteed money, although the World Cup could delay the announcement. Forest had sought a fee above €145m, but the agreed sum would still represent a major return on a player they brought in from Newcastle for about €20m. Backup goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos is involved in the transaction, adding another element to a deal whose headline fee doesn’t tell the whole story.
For Forest, the sale changes the scale of their choices. A substantial fee gives the club room to pursue replacements, but it also creates pressure to fill the space Anderson leaves in the squad. The transfer may strengthen their hand in negotiations, yet a larger budget doesn’t guarantee that a target’s club will accept a particular price. Celtic have their own assessment to make, with Engels under contract and interest reportedly coming from several teams.
Forest weigh up midfield options
Forest are expected to pursue two midfield signings. Their reported options include Tottenham youngster Lucas Bergvall and Inter’s Davide Frattesi, a long-standing target. Engels is another candidate, and one Forest have monitored for months. The list points to a recruitment effort that may involve more than simply replacing Anderson position for position.
Those names also suggest Forest are keeping alternatives in view. A young player, an established target and Engels each represent a separate route through the market, though the available reporting doesn’t spell out how the club ranks them. If you’re following Forest’s summer plans, that distinction matters: interest in Engels is credible, but it doesn’t mean a deal is already close.
Engels has several suitors
Celtic rejected Forest’s January offers, the highest of which was said to be about €30m. That bid would have set a club record for a sale. Engels joined Celtic from Augsburg in 2024 for €13m, and reports say the 22-year-old has decided he wants to leave after two seasons at Parkhead. His reported preference to move could change the negotiating dynamic, but it doesn’t remove Celtic’s ability to ask for a fee they consider appropriate.
Forest aren’t alone. Crystal Palace are among the Premier League clubs reported to be interested, while Tottenham, Fulham, Roma and Atlético Madrid have also been linked with the Belgian international. That spread of reported interest gives Celtic potential alternatives if Forest don’t meet their valuation. It may also make timing matter: clubs pursuing the same player can’t assume they’ll be the only ones shaping his options.
Engels’ versatility makes him an appealing option across midfield roles, but Celtic have little reason to lower their price simply because he’s attracting attention. He has two years remaining on his contract, and Forest’s Anderson sale could increase their spending capacity. Those factors pull in opposite directions: the player is reportedly keen to leave, while Celtic retain contractual leverage. The numbers here are underwhelming as a guide to what happens next; a January offer is a reference point, not a settled summer price.
Belgian outlet Walfoot reports that Engels wants a swift resolution so he can complete a full pre-season with his next club. That puts pressure on interested teams to make progress within the next week or two, according to the report. A prompt move would give a buying club more time to integrate a new midfielder before the season begins. And yet, urgency can narrow a club’s room to negotiate if several sides are still interested.
What the timing means for both clubs
For Forest, the Anderson deal may turn a long-running interest into a more immediate decision. They need to balance Engels against other reported targets and decide how much of their available budget belongs in midfield. That’s a familiar challenge in a transfer window: selling a key player can create funds, but the replacement market doesn’t necessarily offer a direct match at a predictable price.
For Celtic, the choice is different. They must weigh a reported desire to leave against the value of keeping a player with two years left on his contract. A club-record sale would be significant, but the January bid alone doesn’t show what Celtic would accept now. Here’s the thing: the fee, the player’s timetable and the rival interest all matter, and none guarantees a quick agreement.
This is more significant than it looks for Forest’s summer planning. Anderson’s departure could set the pace for their midfield recruitment, while Engels’ reported wish for an early decision adds a deadline of sorts. But a move depends on both clubs finding terms, and the available information doesn’t establish that negotiations have reached that stage. A busy market, with more than one possible destination. That’s the complication.
The reported €30m January bid gives a useful reference point, while Celtic’s position now includes a player said to want out and a Forest side that may soon have a large transfer fee to reinvest. Whether that combination produces a club-record Celtic sale could become clear quickly.
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Premier League · Premiership · Celtic · Man City · Nottingham Forest · Arne Engels · Elliot Anderson