West Ham have broken the EFL transfer record by signing Arne Engels for £22m. The deal is the fourth summer signing after Keiber Lamadrid, Joel Veltman and Manor Solomon. Director of player recruitment Nils Koppen described Arne as a long‑tracked key target, praising his experience at a big club, consistency and character.

Arne Engels has made four appearances for Belgium and won back‑to‑back Scottish Premiership titles with Celtic after moving from Augsburg in August 2024. He began his career at Club Brugge, giving him a solid European pedigree. He said the project at West Ham is “really nice” and his goal is to help the team return to the Premier League.

The club’s ambition is clear: to build a motivated squad that can deliver wins alongside the supporters. Arne expressed his drive to meet the challenge and contribute to a successful season. The record fee underscores West Ham’s summer spending power and signals their intent to compete at the highest level.