West Ham face Nottingham Forest and Sunderland battle to seal Celtic deal | OneFootball

West Ham have been linked with a move for Arne Engels following their relegation

West Ham are preparing for life in the Championship after coming 18th in the Premier League table.

Nuno Espírito Santo’s side won 3-0 against Leeds United on the final day, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the two point deficit to Tottenham Hotspur.

The Hammers will be aiming to earn promotion straight back to the top flight at the first attempt, much like they did in their last season at this level in 2011/12.

It could be a busy summer ahead for the London outfit, with a lot of transfer activity expected.

Players will be coming in and going out of the London Stadium in the coming months, with speculation surrounding key stars already.

But the club will also be scouring the market for additions to the first team that can bolster their chances of a top two finish in the Championship.

West Ham face Arne Engles competition

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West Ham are set to face stiff competition in the race to sign Celtic’s Arne Engels this summer.

According to Sky Sports (21.09), Sunderland, Nottingham Forest and Fulham all have the midfielder on their radar.

The Hammers were linked with the Belgian earlier this week, but they will have to fend off Premier League interest in order to secure his services.

It’s believed that the Reds had a number of offers rejected for the Celtic star in the January window, with the final bid getting as high as £25 million.

However, it remains to be seen what kind of figure it will take to convince the Glasgow outfit to cash in during the upcoming transfer market.

The 22-year-old played 30 times in the Premiership this season, contributing five goals and three assists, with Celtic clinching the title in dramatic fashion on the final day.

Engels joined the Scottish giants during the 2024 summer transfer window from Augsburg, and he has proven a popular figure among supporters.

The midfielder has earned a lot of plaudits for his performances in both Scotland and in Europe, featuring eight times in the Europa League this season.

Nottingham Forest are understood to be keen on the player as a possible replacement for Elliot Anderson, who is attracting interest from both Manchester City and Manchester United.

Meanwhile, Fulham are set to replace the departed Marco Silva as head coach, and Régis Le Bris’ side have qualified for the Europa League after coming seventh in the Premier League.

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West Ham will struggle against Premier League competition

West Ham’s transfer spending this summer will likely depend on their ability to sell players, with the cost of relegation proving quite expensive for the club.

And losing out on their top flight status will also hurt in their ability to compete with the likes of Nottingham Forest and Sunderland for signings like Engels.

There’s no doubt he could be a positive addition given how he has performed for Celtic over the last two years, but the Hammers could struggle to convince him to move to the Championship.