Martin O’Neill’s transfer update on Arne Engels and Alistair Johnston | OneFootball

Martin O’Neill spoke to the mainstream media at Lennoxtown this afternoon ahead of Monday night’s Flag Day opener to the new Premiership Campaign…

The Celtic manager kicked off by addressing the transfer links to Alistair Johnston and Arne Engels who are attacking interest from Everton and West Ham respectively.

23rd May 2026; Hampden Park, Scottish Cup Final Celtic versus Dunfermline; Arne Engels of Celtic celebrates with his team mates after he scores. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

To date Everton have yet to submit a bid while the West Ham bid for Engels has arrived but doesn’t come anywhere close to Celtic’s valuation. Lowballing doesn’t seem to work on Celtic however it remains a persistent tactic in terms pushing transfer targets.

Here’s everything that the Celtic manager had to say to the mainstream media with a reminder that the cowardly Celtic ban on fan media continues into the new season…

Q: Would you sum up the feeling overall then as we head into a new league season?

Martin O’Neill: “Yeah, looking forward to it. Yeah, just about looking forward to it.”

Q: Same as always, same buzz?

Martin O’Neill:  “Same buzz, same excitement, same fears, same everything, exactly.

New Celtic signing Kasper Hogh is unveiled to the mainstream media at Celtic Park. Photo Roddy Scott IMAGO / Shutterstock

Q: Quite a significant signing for you this week with Kasper Hogh coming in. How’s he settling in?

Martin O’Neill:  “Yeah, he’s a bit of a character as well too, so that’s good news. He’s bubbly, he wants to do well and I think he’ll be really good for us. That’s the big hope.”

Q: What’s the latest on Arne Engels, West Ham reported to be chasing him, what can you tell us?

Martin O’Neill:  “West Ham, yeah, I think there’s definitely truth in that. I think there’s been something put in that hasn’t remotely made our valuation for a start. And the same with Alistair Johnston, Everton have been in contact. And I’m not sure whether there’s been a bid in there for that one, but they’ve been in contact saying that they would be. In fairness, David (Moyes) did call me last week and say that there would be contact. But I don’t know how far that has progressed, if it has at all. But yeah, that would be disappointing obviously.

“But I suppose it’s to be expected, you know, players who have done well. We turned down a big offer in January from Nottingham Forest. They came in at the very last minute, so we couldn’t do anything. Arne was alright with it, you know. But it’s difficult to stop people if their ambition is to play in a big, big league. West Ham have been relegated, but obviously enhance their financial situation. Those things are difficult. Our job is to try and keep them, try and do our best to keep them. If that’s not possible, naturally we’ll have to try and get replacements in. To replace those players would be a difficult task.”

Q: Does that feel like quite a daunting challenge? Because so much of the talk this summer has been about adding to what you’ve got anyway?

Martin O’Neill: “Yes, I think I took that into consideration. Because I thought at the back end of last season, whether I was going to be here or not. I felt that something would happen with some of our top players, you know. And that would be difficult for anybody stepping in. So I’ve taken that into the equation, you know. Naturally our thing is to try and add to the squad quality as much as anything else. And I think that’s what we’ve done with the two players so far. But then at the other end, you’re trying to balance it out. Like people are potentially leaving. If any of the players that I thought I wanted to keep at the football club were then going to stay, that would be a great bonus for us.”

Q: Martin, you say there you thought some players would leave. Are there plans in place if Arne does leave and if Alistair does leave? Has that been discussed?

Martin O’Neill: “Well, yeah. There’s the two elements to it. One, that we did want to build this squad and bring players in anyway. Whether they, hopefully, would have stayed at the football club. Alistair did an excellent World Cup with Canada. And that enhanced his chances, naturally. But I think you have to try and do your best to balance everything. Try and get new players in. Try and hold the players that you have. At the same time, that’s utopia. Unfortunately, that’s not real life.”

Q: In terms of those two, will they be involved?

Martin O’Neill: “I would have imagined… Well, I don’t think anything would materialise quickly over the weekend. That I don’t know. I’m sorry. I haven’t had a conversation with my CEO since… Five minutes ago! That’s not true. Since I heard about the news. So, I don’t know how it’s progressed. I would like them to. I think they had a situation when young Matt O’Riley was leaving. Way back at the time when everybody thought he was going. He trained like an absolute trooper, apparently, here. And I know that he played the matches for Celtic as well. So, I’m hoping that will be the attitude of the players.”

Q: Are you confident, Martin, that should these players go, the club is, with the time left, capable of replacing these players?

Martin O’Neill: “You should know me by now. I’ve never been confident in my life!

Q: Fans would like to know if you’re confident?

Martin O’Neill: “Well, okay, yes. Speaking to the crowd, I think the fans know. I’m never confident. I had experience of that there half a century ago. So, our job is to try and get players in, for a start. That’s number one. I was hoping, as each day goes past, that there wouldn’t be any serious interest. But that was never going to happen. We need the players in anyway. And if the players decided to stay, which would be great, we would still need players in. And we’re in the hunt for that.”

Q: Are you any closer now?

Martin O’Neill: “We’re getting close. I don’t know how close is close, but we are definitely getting close.”

New Celtic signing Kasper Hogh is unveiled to the mainstream media at Celtic Park. Photo Roddy Scott IMAGO / Shutterstock

Q: You mentioned Kasper Hogh having a big personality. Was it good for you to get a chance to meet him and find out more about him? And also, do you need a big personality to be Celtic’s striker?

Martin O’Neill: “I think you do, yes. I do. I don’t know what sort of personalities the centre-forwards have had in recent times. I don’t know about that. But I do know that, yeah, when I managed this club before, my big players, Sutton, Hartson and Larsson, you know. Larsson didn’t say a great deal off the field. He did all his talking on the pitch. Kasper’s definitely involved, which is good. I’d prefer that at this minute than somebody just stepping in and hiding in the toilet!”

Celtic player Camilo Duran poses for pictures at Celtic Park, Glasgow on Thursday 23rd July 2026. Photo Andy Buchanan Shutterstock

Q: Do you see, given you’re now training together as well, with Duran and Hogh, a good chance for them to link up?

Martin O’Neill: “I would think that given the time, that the two players should be able to play together without a problem. I don’t know whether that means changing systems, changing all that type of stuff, but, you know, they’re good players.

Q: Can Duran break off wide as well?

Martin O’Neill: “Yes, break off wide as well too, so that’s encouraging. I’m not so sure that that’s eventually where I want him to play. We might have to do that for the time being. But I see him being able to play as a striker or just off the striker.”

Celtic’s King of Kings Henrik Larsson celebrates during 2004 Scottish Cup Final win over Dunfermline. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Q: Obviously, going back to the likes of Hartson and Larsson, you always preferred at that point two up front?

Martin O’Neill: “Yeah, I know that we played a sort of a 3-5-2 for a lot of times, but then we changed it when some teams cottoned on to it, in European matches as well too. And then we ended up changing to 4-4-2. We played that very, very often. But we had serious running power wide, which was great in those days. If it meant us having to adjust to get them to play together, that shouldn’t be a problem. Famous last words, but it shouldn’t be. And this is the point. We should be able to adapt. We’ve played this 4-3-3 system for quite some considerable time. It’s been successful, which is fine, but we should be able to adapt during the course of the game. It’s only a matter of changing people 10 yards in, 10 yards out. There’s not much more than that.”

Celtic manager Martin O’Neill arrives at the ground ahead of kick off in the Celtic v AC Milan in a pre-season friendly at Celtic Park on July 25, 2026. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)

Q: Just a quick word on Dundee and Monday night’s game?

Martin O’Neill: “Yeah, well, they caused us all sorts of problems last year. Beat the club at Dens Park away back early in the season. And certainly in the time that I’ve been here, really difficult games. We were 30 seconds away from being knocked out of the Scottish Cup. They played brilliantly that day. And, of course, we won it in extra time. And the game at Dundee was difficult. We made a number of great chances in the first half at Dundee. It was a game we had to win. And then they got a penalty in the second half. And the game was in the balance until Kelechi (Iheanacho) scores for us towards the end of the game. So I expect exactly the same again.

Q: Can I just ask on recruitment again, Martin? How far away do you feel you are from having a squad that you feel is capable of competing on all fronts this season?

Martin O’Neill: “How far? Well, I wouldn’t want to lose many more, but that’s for a start. But I think that we are capable of getting the players in. That’s what I think.”

Q: Can you understand the fans beginning to…?

Martin O’Neill: “I was wondering how long that would take.

Q: So can you understand why they’ve seen two go in, 14 go out and… Possibly 15 with Arne, 16 with AJ. Can you see why they’re beginning to worry?

Martin O’Neill:  “Good Lord. We must have had some squad last year. You’re talking about boys who were out on loan and things like that? We’ll have to get them in then. But we are pressing. We genuinely are.”

Q: Team news ahead of Monday?

Martin O’Neill:  “Trusty had a wee bit more time off because of some family issues in America. And he just came this week. Scales is suspended for the first two games. But everybody’s back, yeah. Nygren is back. He’s trained the last few days.”

Watch Martin O’Neill’s Mainstream Media Conference Below…

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