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West Ham break Championship record to sign Arne Engels for £22m West Ham break EFL record with £22m Arne Engels signing from Celtic as Hammers aim for instant Premier League return. West Ham United have sent a clear statement of intent for their Championship campaign by breaking the EFL transfer record to sign Celtic midfielder Arne Engels for £22 million. The 22-year-old Belgium international has put pen to paper on a five-year contract at the London Stadium, with the Hammers confirming the fee as the highest ever paid by an EFL Championship club. Record-breaking deal reshapes Championship market The £22 million transfer fee surpasses the previous EFL benchmark set just a year ago, when Ipswich Town paid £17.5 million to sign Norwegian forward Sindre Walle Egeli. By signing Engels, West Ham have signalled their ambition to secure an immediate return to the Premier League following relegation in May. The deal is particularly notable given the financial constraints typically associated with second-tier football, where clubs often operate with more modest budgets. West Ham’s willingness to invest heavily in Engels underlines their determination to avoid a prolonged stay in the Championship and to build a squad capable of challenging for promotion from the outset. Engels arrives in east London after two highly successful seasons at Celtic, where he made 100 appearances, scoring 17 goals and providing 22 assists. During his time in Glasgow, the Belgian international helped Celtic secure back-to-back Scottish Premiership titles, as well as lifting the Scottish Cup and the Scottish League Cup. Engels is the fourth major addition to West Ham’s squad this summer, following the arrivals of Venezuelan midfielder Keiber Lamadrid, Dutch defender Joel Veltman, and Israeli winger Manor Solomon. The club’s director of player recruitment, Nils Koppen, described Engels as a “key target” who had been tracked for some time, citing his experience, consistency, and character as ideal traits for the project underway at the London Stadium. “For a player who is still very young with his best years in front of him, he has very good experience and has established himself at a big club, showing consistency and confidence,” Koppen said. “Arne has the right traits, both as a player and as a character, to fit into what we are trying to build moving forward. He is very motivated to be here for this challenge.” A statement on Celtic’s official website thanked Engels for his contributions and wished him well for the future. “Everyone at Celtic Park thanks Arne for his contributions to the club over the past few years and wishes him all the best for the future,” it read. In an emotional farewell message posted on social media, Engels expressed his gratitude for his time at Celtic Park. “After two incredible years, it’s time for me to say goodbye to Celtic,” he wrote. “I’m leaving with nothing but gratitude for the time I’ve had at this club.” He added: “I’ve experienced so many special moments, lifted trophies, created unforgettable memories and had the honour of representing Celtic. Wearing this shirt and playing in front of the supporters has been a privilege I’ll always be grateful for.” Celtic manager Martin O’Neill confirmed on Friday that the club had been working to secure a suitable replacement for Engels, emphasising the need for a box-to-box midfielder with “real physicality”. Despite the excitement surrounding his arrival, Engels will not be available for West Ham’s Championship opener against Burnley on Sunday. However, Engels is expected to make his debut in the home league derby against Charlton Athletic at the London Stadium on Saturday 22nd August.