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Arne Engels looks increasingly likely to be heading for the Celtic exit door, but Chris Sutton has warned the Hoops about exactly what they would be losing. Martin O’Neill has confirmed that West Ham’s valuation of Engels was considerably below Celtic’s own. The club are prepared for the English Championship side to return with another bid. Celtic have already shown where they stand on Engels’ value. They rejected three offers from Nottingham Forest on deadline day of the winter window, with the final proposal worth up to £25 million. That remains the sort of figure Celtic are holding out for. Engels is reportedly pushing for the move, with Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg previously claiming a verbal agreement had been reached. That does not mean Celtic will simply accept whatever comes next. If their valuation is not met, negotiations will continue. The 22-year-old started the opening Premiership win over Dundee, although he struggled to stamp his authority on the game. It was his 99th appearance in green and white, putting him one short of a Celtic century. Sutton believes Celtic need to be careful about what they do next. Engels has divided opinion among supporters since arriving, but the interest in him from elsewhere has been significant. Sutton believes one particular part of his game could prove difficult to replace. Via RecordSport, he said: “I know some supporters were frustrated with Engels against Dundee, but I’ll tell you what he does give Celtic – athleticism. “He covers ground. He gives them legs in midfield. Take that away and Celtic become a different team. If you can replace those qualities, great. But if you can’t, letting him go would be a huge gamble.” It is a fair warning. Engels made 46 appearances across the 2025/26 season, with some of his strongest performances coming during O’Neill’s two interim spells. The athleticism Sutton points towards is particularly important when Celtic’s other options in the middle of the park are considered. Engels can cover ground and give the midfield an energy that is not necessarily replicated elsewhere in the squad. That does not mean Celtic should turn down £25 million if West Ham eventually get there. It does mean they need to know exactly how they are replacing him before sanctioning the deal. The timing makes that even more crucial. Celtic have a Champions League play-off against LASK approaching. Selling a starting midfielder before those two matches without having his replacement ready would be a risk. If West Ham meet Celtic’s valuation, there is clearly a deal to be done. But Celtic cannot afford to bank the money first and start looking for Engels’ replacement further down the line.