West Ham break EFL record to sign Engels for £22m

West Ham United have shattered the EFL transfer record by paying £22 million for Belgian international Arne Engels, who left Scottish champions Celtic. The 22-year-old Engels has signed a five-year contract with West Ham, surpassing the £17.5 million fee paid by Ipswich Town for Norwegian forward Sindre Walle Egeli last year. The transfer comes as West Ham return to the Championship after a relegation in May, starting their first season in the league since 2012 against Burnley on Sunday.

Engels, capable of playing in midfield, right-back, or right-wing, will miss his debut at the home derby against Charlton Athletic on August 22, as he requires time to adjust to the new club. Engels is West Ham's fourth summer signing, following the acquisitions of Venezuela midfielder Keiber Lamadrid, Dutch defender Joel Veltman, and Israel winger Manor Solomon.

Nils Koppen, West Ham's director of player recruitment, described Engels as a player they have been tracking for some time, highlighting his youth, experience, and consistency as key assets. Engels, who has made four appearances for Belgium, won back-to-back Scottish Premiership titles with Celtic after transferring from Augsburg in August 2024.

He expressed his excitement to return to the Premier League under West Ham's management, emphasizing his commitment to helping the team achieve success and win games this season.