West Ham shatter Championship transfer record for title winner Prem club failed to land

West Ham United have agreed a £22million deal to sign Celtic midfielder Arne Engels, in a move that will shatter the English Championship transfer record, TEAMtalk can reveal.

The Belgium international is due to undergo a medical in London on Friday, with the clubs having finalised terms after prolonged negotiations.

Sources confirmed the fee, which exceeds the previous Championship high of £17.5million paid by Ipswich Town for Sindre Walle Egeli last summer.

Engels, 22, arrived at Celtic from Augsburg for £11million in 2024 and quickly established himself as a key figure. Last season, he made 46 appearances across all competitions, scoring seven goals and providing eight assists as Martin O’Neill’s side claimed the Scottish Premiership title on the final day.

West Ham, relegated from the Premier League last term, have been rebuilding after generating close to £150million from sales, including Mateus Fernandes to Tottenham and Crysencio Summerville to Al-Hilal.

Manager Nuno Espírito Santo views the all-action midfielder as a cornerstone of their promotion push. The Hammers previously saw two bids rejected last month while Celtic held out for closer to £25million. Nottingham Forest had also been rebuffed with a similar valuation in January.

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West Ham got discount on star midfielder

Celtic had hoped to sell for £25million at a minimum but ultimately sanctioned the exit after Engels pushed for the switch. The Scottish champions have already begun strengthening their midfield with the arrival of Mika Baur from Paderborn and are targeting further reinforcements, including Torino’s Gvidas Gineitis.

The deal represents a significant statement of intent from the London club as they prepare for the new Championship campaign.

Engels is expected to link up with his new teammates shortly after completing formalities, bringing creativity, goal threat and energy to the heart of the Hammers’ engine room.

If the medical proceeds without issue, the transfer will be confirmed in the coming days, marking another high-profile departure from Celtic and a record-breaking investment by West Ham in their bid for an immediate return to the top flight.