Celtic are said to be lining up potential Arne Engels replacements heading into the summer transfer window, and their list might include a current World Cup star.
It’s going to be a busy window for the Bhoys, who are looking to improve on a mixed campaign – even though it ended well. Though, Martin O’Neill’s job will be made more difficult by the fact some of his best players could be queuing up to leave having earned their big moves.
Those players include Daizen Maeda and Engels, who are both likely to command significant fee this summer.
Engels replacement lined up
Engels would be a huge loss in the middle of the park, but Celtic know they are going to struggle to keep hold of such a talented player who appears to have a huge ceiling, given he is still only 23 years of age.
O’Neill is going to have to get the Engels replacement right in signing someone who fits in seemlessly, even if that someone isn’t necessarily as talented as Engels, given that will be a tough ask.
One potential option is Bosnia and Herezegovina star Ivan Basic, who is on Celtic’s shortlist, according to the Scottish Sun. They say Basic has become an option after impressing with Bosnia in helping them reach the World Cup then featuring as a starter in their opening game draw with Canada.
Bosnia have become a very hard-to-beat team over the last year or two, and Basic has been a key part of that, racking up 18 caps since 2023.
The 23-year-old, who was born in Croatia, currently plays for FC Astana having jointed in 2025, but according to Transfermarkt, he only signed a one-year deal and is available on a free transfer this January, with his deal running until the end of the calendar year.
Even if Astana managed to tie him down to a new deal, it’s likely he wouldn’t command a huge fee, especially not in the context of Engels being sold for £20million to £25million. If Basic is available for cheap, given his expiring deal, it’s possible he is being seen as a possible signing regardless of whether Engels leaves the club.
Basic is a box-to-box midfielder who is left-footed, and he is capable of finding the net, scoring three and assisting three in the Kazakh league in the season just gone. The midfielder is currently valued at £1.3million by Transfermarkt, but that value could rise if he has a good World Cup.