Nottingham Forest want Celtic deal - it would impact West Ham | OneFootball

West Ham have previously been credited with an interest in Arne Engels

West Ham are facing the prospect of quite a busy summer following their relegation from the Premier League.

The Hammers finished 18th in the top flight table, just two points adrift of safety after earning 39 points.

The London outfit will be aiming to earn promotion from the Championship at the first attempt, with Nuno Espírito Santo setting his sights on a top two finish.

The Portuguese coach previously won the second division title with Wolves in 2018, and they likely will be one of the club’s key competitors for top spot next season.

But first West Ham must navigate their way through the transfer window, where they will want to strengthen the first team squad.

However, relegation has also led to uncertainty over the futures of top stars like Mateus Fernandes and Crysencio Summerville.

West Ham suffer transfer setback

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It has been reported by Teamtalk that West Ham transfer target Arne Engels is also on Nottingham Forest’s radar.

The midfielder is attracting a lot of interest after helping Celtic to yet another Premiership title.

But the Reds previously tried to buy the Belgian, and had multiple offers for him rejected in the January transfer window.

They could reignite that interest this summer, particularly if Elliot Anderson is sold amid big money interest from Manchester City.

The England international’s departure would open the door for a midfield signing for Vitor Pereira’s side, with Engels on their radar.

West Ham were linked with a move for the 22-year-old earlier this month, with speculation surrounding Fernandes’ future.

Engels earned a lot of plaudits under Martin O’Neill, contributing five goals and three assists from 30 league appearances last season.

He joined Celtic in 2024 from Augsburg, and has a contract with the Glasgow giants until June 2028.

It was reported in January that the Scottish club rejected an offer worth £25 million, so it could take at least that much to lead to a sale this summer.

Fernandes is currently the subject of interest from a number of clubs, including Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.

It’s been claimed that the Irons are seeking at least £80 million to consider a sale following their relegation.

The Portuguese star moved to the London Stadium from Southampton in 2025 in a deal worth a reported £38 million.

It remains to be seen what Engels’ preference is at this stage, with Crystal Palace also mentioned as a possible destination.

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Arne Engels signing will be difficult following relegation

West Ham could’ve competed with Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace for someone like Engels had they been able to stay up.

But even with a possible £80 million figure coming their way for Fernandes, it’s difficult to foresee them winning the race to his signature.

He has excelled for two years at Celtic, and it’s not surprising that he’s attracting this kind of interest now.

And that will just make it harder for West Ham, as it’s unlikely he’d want to drop down to the Championship at this point in his career given the alternative options that could be at his disposal.