ARNE ENGELS is aiming to follow the example set by Nicolas Kuhn when he lines up against Club Brugge at Parkhead tomorrow night.
Celtic’s £11million record recruit got a close-up view of the winger’s devastating display against his fellow-Germans of RB Leipzig as the winger led the hosts to a crucial 3-1 triumph at a pulsating Parkhead earlier this month.
Kuhn, who had been in the Bundesliga club’s academy as a kid, showed no mercy as he ripped the defence apart and fired in two first-half strikes to push the Hoops towards victory – and another step closer to the lucrative knock-out stages.
Now Engels is standing by to be given the opportunity to show what his team-mate can do his countrymen, he can also do to his fellow-Belgians.
The 21-year-old international is backed by former Celtic goal hero Chris Sutton to deliver the goods on a consistent basis once he is given the opportunity to settle in to his new surroundings.
Asked to name the team’s best three-man formation in the middle of the park at the present, the Hoops legend, speaking to the Daily Mail’s ‘It’s all Kicking Off‘ podcast, answered: “Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate and Arne Engels.
“I think there are Celtic fans, because Engels was their record signing, they would probably have expected more from him and there are Celtic fans saying they should play Paulo Bernardo alongside Hatate and McGregor.
“But I think Engels, like any new player, needs time.”
Along with his team-mates, the intelligent playmaker toiled to make his presence felt in the first-half against Hearts at Tynecastle on Saturday night.
IT TAKES TWO…Arne Engels congratulates Nicolas Kuhn after the winger’s first goal of his double in the 3-1 win over RB Leipzig at Parkhead on November 5.
Brendan Rodgers’ men were caught on the back foot at the aggressive approach adopted by the Edinburgh club with their high press.
The visitors got to grips with the tactics of Neil Critchley’s side after the turnaround and two goals from Kyogo Furuhashi and Kuhn set them on their way to a 4-1 success and three crucial points before Engels’ exit in the 68th minute as he made way for Bernardo.
The dynamic Portuguese performer has his admirers within the club and among the Celtic support, but Rodgers is likely to give the nod to his expensive deadline-day purchase to line up with skipper McGregor and Japanese international Hatate against the Belgians on matchday five of Europe’s most prestigious tournament.
Engels has already scored three goals and provided six assists in 17 appearances and is ready to play his part in the Hoops’ bid to move onto 10 points in their quest to be among the European elite next year.
