Sunderland Target Celtic Midfielder Arne Engels

Sunderland are among the clubs linked with Celtic midfielder Arne Engels this summer. They will compete with Nottingham Forest, Fulham and Napoli for the Belgian talent. Engels, 22, made 46 appearances for Celtic last campaign, scoring seven goals and providing eight assists across all competitions. He featured in a William Hill Premiership match on February 1 2026 against Falkirk, contesting with Leon McCann. The match photograph was taken by Ian MacNicol. His contract with Celtic runs until the summer of 2028, meaning Sunderland would need to act before then to secure him on a reasonable fee. Engels can operate as a box‑to‑box midfielder, a right‑sided wide player or a right‑back if required. Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris could add depth to his midfield with Engels, who has the physicality to challenge for a regular place at the Stadium of Light. Whether the 22‑year‑old can adapt to the Premier League’s intensity remains to be seen.