Arne Engels is a ‘Premier League player’ – West Ham critic taught a lesson

Former midfielder Alex Rae argues that Arne Engels possesses the physical profile of an English Premier League player despite criticism surrounding his open-play impact. Engels joined West Ham United from Celtic for a Championship-record fee of £22 million, facing skepticism from critics like PLZ Soccer host Peter Martin regarding his value beyond set pieces.

Rae highlighted Engels' running power and high-speed data as key factors behind the transfer. West Ham recruitment chief Nils Koppen also commended the Belgian midfielder's work rate, with Engels providing two assists across his first nine matches and starting in all four of West Ham's league wins.