Everything that Celtic new signing Arne Engels said to the broadcast media

Why did you choose Celtic?

I think it is a really big club. It's the biggest club in Scotland. They are always challenging for the championship and the cups so it is obvious that it is a step forward for me. With the new format of the Champions League, I think it can be an amazing and special experience for me.

What is your initial reaction to joining the club?

It was hectic on deadline day. I was here for one training session and I think I visited everybody at the club. I said hello to everybody and it was nice to see everybody and to get to meet everybody. The game against Rangers was amazing for me. Just to see the fans and to see the team playing really well, it was really good. My second day was a training day and it all went really well.

On the match against Rangers, had you heard about the rivalry before and what did you think of the atmosphere and the game? Was it what you expected or a bit more?

I think it was a bit more. You hear a lot and you know it is a big game against Rangers and everybody is looking forward to it. You know that it is going to be really hard but the team did amazing. We managed to do a three-zero, so it was the perfect day for us.

You are Celtic's most expensive player ever. Does the £11 million price tag put extra pressure on you as a player?

No. I just want to enjoy my football. Celtic paid a big amount for me. I want to repay the club for showing that faith in me. It was a lot for the club but I just want to bring my best form here and perform like I always do. That is why Celtic did it (paid the money). It is just for me to adapt quickly to the situation and the team. It is an amazing team and everybody speaks about them very well. I think it is going to be easy for me to integrate and perform.

Can you tell us a little bit about the conversation you had with the manager? He was desperate to get you to sign for Celtic. What was he saying to you in the build-up to the transfer and what does he think you can bring to the club?

I think he saw a lot of me and that is why he wanted me to come. It is just for me to stick to the basics and learn how the team plays and for him to explain to me how it works and how the training facilities are. He explained everything to me and I had a really nice conversation with him. It is up to me to perform and to show them my qualities are good enough to help the team. That's the most important thing.

What kind of player can the Celtic fans expect to see out on the pitch? How would you describe yourself? What is your best position?

The best position for me is in the midfield. I am a midfielder, I can play everywhere and I will play where the manager Brendan Rodgers wants me. I will always be giving 100 per cent to the fans and the club. You will see me on the pitch soon enough, hopefully.

The club paid a lot of money for you and has put a lot of faith in you. So what do you hope to achieve at Celtic?

Hopefully, I can achieve a lot of good moments together with the fans and the team. Celtic is a club that always competes for the championship and the cups. We want to do well in all the competitions and this is a good step for me. I am happy to be here at a really big club.

Talk to us about the new Champions League format as you will be playing extra games. How big a factor was that in your decision to come here? You will have that platform to perform on and what do you think the club can do in the competition starting next week?

It is a bonus. The new format sees more Champions League games being played and that is always nice to play at that level. That is not the biggest bonus for me, I wanted to come here and play for a big club and take a big step forward. I wanted to play for a team that wins matches and is under pressure to do that and this is what I wanted to experience.

One player that left Celtic is Matt O'Riley for big money. Is he the kind of player you want to emulate? Do you want to play for Celtic score lots of goals, win trophies and see what the future holds in a few years?

Of course, you want to score a lot of goals and make a lot of assists. That is normal. Everybody wants to do that. That is nice. I just want to be here and improve myself and show everybody what I have got. I think Celtic is a big club and I just want to improve.

You went to Germany at a young age. Did that help you grow up fast and has that helped fuel your ambitions coming to Celtic?

Yes. I think I left home very quickly and I learned to look after myself and I learned to grow up really quickly. It was quicker than I expected. Having left my country at a young age to go to Germany it makes this move a little bit easier. I know what I did there.

You made good progress there. Did you surprise yourself by playing so many games at Augsburg?

I always believed in myself and that is why I made the move there. That is why I also made the move to Celtic because I believe in myself and I want to show everybody what I am about.

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Are you hopeful of building on your international chances with Belgium whilst you are at Celtic?

It is a dream of every player to play for their country. I just want to learn from the best and biggest players in Belgium. That is the best thing for me right now. Watching how they perform in training. I want to take it all in and not overstep the mark and just ease myself into it. I want to take it all in. It is up to me to show it.

Were your international teammates asking you about this move and did they have any memories of playing at Celtic Park?

Not really. Everybody said it was a really big club. Everybody knew about Celtic and they said it was a very good step for me as they could me progress and develop.

We saw the photo of you with Philippe Clement, was that unusual going up against him in your first game?

Yeah, I worked with him so it's normal that we see each other. It was nice to see him but it is for me to beat them so that's what we did.

Was it strange to come into a game like that after just one training session - just about finding your feet after all that had gone on in the last few days?

"Not really. It felt like home and really good to come in. It was really amazing to get the fan's attention and to perform and also in this kind of game to win.

We saw you celebrating with the fans at the end, what was the atmosphere like to play in against Rangers?

I have played in a lot of big stadiums in Germany. Here, it is a bit different. It was really loud and everybody was really on top of the game and supporting and pushing us. It was really helpful for the team and that is what is pushing us to the limit.

When you heard Celtic were interested did you speak to anyone for advice, anyone who played here or worked here?

No, not really. I just searched a bit on the internet about the city and the club but I knew already about Celtic. You know what the club is and what the history of the club is so it was nothing new for me. But obviously, I searched Glasgow City and everything.

Are you looking forward to living in Scotland?

Yeah...only the weather but that's okay!

What do you think is the difference between the Bundesliga and the Scottish Premiership? Some people might be surprised at you making the move from one of the biggest leagues in the world to Scotland - do you think it will suit your game?

I think so. It is an attacking style of play and also what the manager wants is a lot of ball possession and creating a lot of chances and that suits me really well, I think. Also, to win or to need to win every game it's also a different feeling and that's a kind of feeling I really like to experience. We will see what the future brings but I think it's going to be good.