“Total Mayhem! Michael Stewart Claims to Know the HIDDEN Agenda Behind Celtic’s Massive £25M Arne Engels Gamble—Forest Left in Disbelief!”

Arne Engels will remain at Celtic following a frantic transfer deadline day that placed the midfielder firmly at the centre of attention.

While supporters were tracking potential late arrivals, much of the final 24 hours of the January window was dominated by speculation surrounding Engels. Celtic ultimately knocked back a £25 million offer from Nottingham Forest, a decision that has sparked debate over whether the Scottish champions made the correct call.

Former Celtic midfielder Michael Stewart has weighed in on the situation, attempting to explain why the club resisted such a significant bid for a player who has split opinion during his two seasons in Glasgow.

Speaking on Premier Sports, Stewart suggested that timing and upheaval behind the scenes played a major role. With Wilfried Nancy no longer in the dugout and Paul Tisdale having departed the boardroom earlier in the month, Celtic were forced to rethink their approach mid-window.

Stewart believes that in more settled conditions, the club would have accepted the offer without hesitation. However, with Celtic scrambling to reshape their recruitment strategy on the fly, he feels the club opted for caution.

“I think this goes right to the core of the issues Celtic are dealing with,” Stewart said. “It is about finding the balance between short-term needs and long-term planning.

“In normal circumstances, if £25 million comes in for Arne Engels, you accept it every time. There is no doubt about that.

“The problem is Celtic are trying to apply a new transfer strategy while the window is still open. That puts them in a defensive position where they feel they have to hold on to what they already have, add what they can, and reassess properly in the summer.

“That approach might work, or it might end up hurting them. But ordinarily, Celtic would take £25 million for Engels.”

Looking ahead, Stewart expects major changes in the middle of the park once the season concludes, regardless of whether Celtic retain their title. Engels is likely to be moved on, with Reo Hatate another possible departure. Captain Callum McGregor may also require added support as the club looks to ease the load on its long-serving leader.

There could also be exits among the squad players, with Paulo Bernardo and Luke McCowan mentioned as midfielders who may find themselves surplus to requirements when the summer rebuild begins.