Arne Engels did not arrive at West Ham simply to add another body in midfield. The £22million signing brought 39 goal involvements, European experience and a habit of delivering when the pressure is highest.
His debut against Charlton Athletic ended in disappointment, but the result should not disguise what the 22-year-old could offer Nuno Espírito Santo’s side.
West Ham dominated possession, attempted 25 shots and still lost 2-1. Turning that control into goals will be central to their promotion hopes.
Engels has already demonstrated that he possesses several tools to help.
Arne Engels arrives with numbers West Ham cannot ignore
Those figures comprised 17 goals and 22 assists during two seasons in Glasgow.
For a central midfielder, that is a substantial attacking return. It averages one direct goal involvement approximately every two-and-a-half matches.
His influence also extended beyond routine league fixtures.
Engels won consecutive Scottish Premiership titles with Celtic and collected both domestic cups. He also appeared in European competition and established himself as a Belgium international.
West Ham identified those qualities when they agreed a fee reported to be approximately £22million for the former Augsburg midfielder.
The club officially describes the undisclosed deal as a record fee paid by a Championship side.
That investment comes with obvious expectations. West Ham did not break the division’s transfer record for a midfielder expected merely to recycle possession.
Engels must help transform promising passages of play into chances, goals and eventually victories.
Arne Engels offers creativity from more than one position
Saturday’s defeat against Charlton illustrated both the opportunity and the challenge.
FotMob’s match data shows West Ham finished with 78 per cent possession and 25 attempts.
Engels started alongside Mohamadou Kanté in a deeper midfield pairing, with Joel Piroe operating further forward behind Valentín Castellanos.
That positioning allowed the Belgian to influence West Ham’s build-up. It also raised an important question about whether Nuno can release him closer to goal more frequently.
At Celtic, Engels demonstrated that his passing could unlock opponents even when attacks initially appeared congested.
He helped create Celtic’s equaliser before delivering the corner that produced their winning goal.
Former Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers highlighted that threat afterwards.
West Ham already possess dangerous attacking options in Jarrod Bowen, Manor Solomon, Castellanos and Piroe.
However, finding those players in better positions remains essential against Championship opponents prepared to defend deep.
Piroe has already outlined his determination to respond after West Ham’s defeat against Charlton.
Engels could become the player responsible for supplying him more consistently.
Arne Engels already has a big-game pedigree
There is another part of Engels’ record that should interest Nuno.
He has repeatedly contributed in matches where the consequences were immediate.
West Ham’s official profile confirms he converted a penalty in Celtic’s Scottish League Cup final shootout against Rangers.
He also scored from the spot during Celtic’s final-day title decider against Hearts last season.
A week later, Engels struck from approximately 30 yards as Celtic defeated Dunfermline in the Scottish Cup final. Sky Sports’ match report details the goal that helped complete their domestic double.
That combination of creativity, set-piece delivery and composure under pressure could prove particularly useful during a demanding Championship campaign.
West Ham’s immediate priority remains finding the right balance around him.
Tomáš Souček remains unavailable, while Keiber Lamadrid could return against Southampton. James Ward-Prowse, Kanté and Lewis Orford also offer Nuno different midfield combinations.
The head coach must decide whether Engels is most effective controlling matches from deep or advancing into areas where his final pass and shooting become more dangerous.
There is also the possibility of further competition arriving before the transfer window closes.
West Ham have been linked with Real Betis midfielder Nelson Deossa, underlining how actively the club continues to assess its options.
But the biggest midfield investment has already been made.
One frustrating debut does not alter the evidence built over 100 Celtic appearances.
Engels brings the technical quality, attacking output and experience of high-pressure matches that West Ham believed justified a record-breaking fee.
Nuno’s next responsibility is finding the system that allows him to show it.
