Iain Dowie is hoping West Ham United can tie up a deal for Celtic star Arne Engels as he'd be a "fantastic" signing.
The Belgian midfielder, 22, has interest from the Irons who are now in the EFL Championship. Engels will come at a cost for the club but Hammers hero Dowie believes his old club should stump up to land him.
Celtic have slapped a hefty price tag on their former record signing and are in no rush to sell but they do know money talks.
But for Dowie, the former player and manager is adamant Engels would be interested in a move down south to play for Nuno Espirito Santo's side because they are a "big draw".
"I’m hoping that Arne Engels does end up at West Ham, that’s for sure," Dowie told BettingLounge. "He played on Monday, and he offers such stability and quality passing. When you consider his output – 65 appearances and 14 goals – combined with the fact that he can play in so many positions, he’s incredibly versatile.
"He’s a quality passer and would be a fantastic acquisition. I don’t think Martin O’Neill would want to lose him, so we’ll see how that pans out, but it looks like West Ham are quite keen.
"West Ham is a big draw for anyone, and I think the Championship is an incredibly competitive league right now, especially with the calibre of teams that have recently come down.
"You can see that level of competition in transfer sagas like Dan Neil’s, everyone thought he was set for Southampton, but now Rangers have come in for him. It just shows how competitive everything is. I think Engels will find West Ham very attractive given that Jarrod Bowen is staying around as well."
