Celtic have began negotiations with Augsburg for a potential transfer of Arne Engels.

The 20-year-old central midfielder has emerged as one of the club's top targets to succeed Matt O’Riley, who is set to leave Celtic this weekend to join Brighton for a club record fee. 

O’Riley’s expected farewell marks a significant transition for the Scottish champions, and Engels, who Sky Sports claim is valued at around £9million, reportedly wants to make the move to Celtic Park.

With the club looking to bolster their midfield regardless of O’Riley’s departure according to manager Brendan Rodgers, Engels could be among several key additions to the squad before the transfer window closes next week as they aim to maintain their competitive edge domestically while being a force in Europe.

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Paulo Bernardo, Adam Idah, Viljami Sinisalo and Kasper Schmeichel have already arrived this summer. But Rodgers has made it clear that there’s still several areas he would love to strengthen.