West Ham's Arne Engels was sitting in a taxi when an incredible Celtic coincidence happened | OneFootball

Arne Engels made the switch to Celtic from Club Brugge in 2024 but didn't have to wait long before facing his former club in the Champions League

West Ham’s summer transfer window is now kicking into gear as we approach the final week of the market.

The Hammers prioritised major player sales in the opening months, with Mateus Fernandes and Crysencio Summerville both departing the London Stadium.

The pair were key figures in the team last year, so it was a real blow to lose them, but it was a direct consequence of suffering relegation from the Premier League.

Nuno Espírito Santo will be hoping that the remaining squad will be capable of earning a place back in the top flight at the first attempt.

Arne Engels arrival at West Ham

Action Images

West Ham dipped their toe in the transfer market with the arrivals of Keiber Lamadrid and Joel Veltman, but it was the deal to sign Manor Solomon that really got things underway.

And now Arne Engels has arrived from Celtic in a deal worth £22 million in what is a record fee for an EFL club to spend on a single player.

More additions are likely to follow before the 1 September deadline, with Joel Piroe also joining on loan from Leeds United.

But it’s the midfielder that is the centre-piece of their summer window, showing the Hammers’ ambition to earn automatic promotion from the Premier League.

Arne Engels’ coincidental Celtic moment

Engels signed for the Glasgow giants late in the 2024 summer transfer window, arriving from Club Brugge.

And coincidentally, it was in a taxi on his way to Parkhead that he found out that he would be facing his old club in that season’s Champions League.

The 22-year-old opened up on the prospect of playing against the Belgian club following his move to Scotland.

“Yes of course, I was watching the draw in a taxi when I was coming to Celtic and I was really happy to see that it was against my old team,” said Engels, via the Celtic Star.

“But all the teams that we are playing against, it’s really nice so I’m excited.

“I’m also excited to see all the Belgian guys also in every team except Young Boys, the others have at least one Belgian guy, so it will be nice to everybody.”

Arne Engels’ Champions League adventure

Brendan Rodgers’ side hosted Club Brugge in the League Phase of the Champions League, with the two sides meeting on 27 November.

Cameron Carter-Vickers put the visitors ahead in the first half, with Daizen Maeda giving Celtic the equaliser on the hour mark.

The two clubs shared the spoils, with Engels starting in midfield for the Premiership champions, who went on to reach the knockout phase.

Rodgers’ side were ultimately eliminated from the tournament in the play-off phase by Bayern Munich, losing 3-2 on aggregate.

Engels’ started nine of their 10 games in the tournament, contributing one goal and three assists.

Action images

What Arne Engels can bring to West Ham

West Ham will be targeting automatic promotion from the Championship with Engels’ arrival from Celtic.

The 22-year-old had a strong campaign to help Martin O’Neill’s side win the Premiership last year, and Espirito Santo will be hoping he can replicate that performance in 2026/27.

The Belgian’s notable traits include his passing and vision, completing 38.33 passes at a rate of 82.7 per cent in the Championship last season (all stats from Fotmob).

Engels created 1.88 chances each game from a deeper playmaker role, and his talents will really help the Hammers progress the ball up the pitch.

While he can’t be relied upon entirely for his defensive contributions, he is a suitable fit as a replacement for Fernandes.

And he’s shown that he can be a real threat in the final third in a more advanced role, having contributed five goals and three assists in his first year with Celtic.

He also of course has experience in the Champions League, making him a great addition to the dressing room at West Ham this summer.