Now CEO Nicholson has to discover previously unused negotiating skills to deliver a midfielder of the quality required by Brendan Rodgers, someone that won’t look like a fish out of water when Celtic start their Champions League campaign in three weeks time.
Celtic submitted a bid for Engels on Sunday evening, believed to be around £6.5m, but this is lower than Augsburg are willing to sell for, and negotiations between the clubs will have to continue to find a solution.
Celtic have also been aware of Engels’ talents, with his versatility making him one of the standout performers for Augsburg as they finished 11th in the German top flight last season.