He is likely undergoing his medical at this very moment. It’s truly disappointing to see him leave the club, given how well he performed for us.
It’s difficult to change his mind. Were it not for this opportunity, he would have remained satisfied. Despite the late offer from Nottingham Forest in January, he never complained.
This presents a valuable opportunity, and he finds it hard to refuse.
O’Neill understood the motivation behind Engels’s desire to finalize the move, particularly after Canada’s right-back Alistair Johnston sustained a leg injury amid interest from Everton.
‘Ideally, I would have liked him to stay and perhaps see the season through before completing the transfer,’ the 74-year-old, who has returned to work after last week’s medical procedure, explained.
‘It probably wouldn’t have happened. The worry is that when a player is involved in a transfer offer and then gets injured, such circumstances may disappear.’
I imagine Arne shared similar concerns, and as a player, I can understand his perspective.
Johnston left the pitch at halftime during Celtic’s 5-1 victory over Kilmarnock on Sunday.
‘He will be sidelined for several weeks,’ O’Neill noted. ‘By the time he recovers, the transfer deadline will have passed. He has remained remarkably composed.’
‘It’s unfortunate for him, but this is only temporary. He will recover and return.’
Celtic have signed Egypt winger Haissem Hassan and Germany Under-21 midfielder Mika Baur this week, and O’Neill anticipates additional signings.
A potential addition could be Chelsea left-back Landon Emenalo, brought in on loan as a backup for Kieran Tierney after the 18-year-old toured Celtic’s Lennoxtown training centre.
‘I think he’s a truly talented young player,’ O’Neill said. ‘We need to cover that position. Kieran performed exceptionally last season, overcoming injuries at Arsenal, and his comeback was impressive.’
‘This youngster clearly has talent. He currently has a minor injury, but we expect it to resolve soon. If that happens — which I believe it will — I would love to sign him.’
