Chris Sutton fires back at Robbie Savage over Arne Engels’ Celtic exit jibe

Chris Sutton hits back at Robbie Savage over Arne Engels’ Celtic exit jibe

The debate over the standard of Scottish football has resurfaced following Arne Engels’ move from Celtic to West Ham United, with Chris Sutton and Robbie Savage offering very different views on the transfer.

West Ham, despite suffering relegation from the Premier League last season, reportedly paid around £22 million to bring Engels to England. The deal was discussed by Sutton and Savage during BBC’s 606 programme, with Savage using the transfer to take a swipe at the Scottish game.

Savage pointed out that one of Celtic’s standout players had left the Scottish champions for a Championship club, suggesting the move highlighted the gap between Scottish and English football.

However, Sutton quickly challenged that argument, insisting that Engels’ decision to leave Celtic for West Ham could actually represent a step backwards from a footballing perspective.

Savage said: “One of the best players in Scotland going to the EFL? Not the Premier League. That sums up Scottish football where it is right now.”

Sutton responded: “Well, in truth, I think it’s a downgrade from Celtic to West Ham.”

The former Celtic striker explained that while West Ham remain a major club, Engels would be swapping Champions League ambitions and domestic title football for Championship competition.

“West Ham are a big club. Championship football over playing for the champions of Scotland? Come on?!” Sutton argued.

Savage appeared surprised by the assessment before asking who Celtic would face next.

When Sutton revealed that Celtic were preparing for a Champions League tie against LASK, Savage acknowledged the importance of the fixture.

Sutton then added a cheeky reminder aimed at his fellow pundit: “You never played in the Champions League.”

Money behind Engels’ Celtic exit

Ultimately, the discussion highlights the financial imbalance between English and Scottish football.

While Celtic can offer Champions League football and regularly compete for domestic honours, clubs in the English football pyramid have significantly greater financial resources.

The £22 million fee for Engels is a clear example of that disparity. For Celtic, losing a key player to a Championship club may be difficult to accept from a sporting perspective, but the financial power available to English clubs makes such transfers increasingly difficult to resist.

Sutton’s argument was that financial strength does not automatically make one league superior in sporting terms. He pointed to the Saudi Pro League as an example, where enormous wages have attracted some of football’s biggest names without necessarily making it a better competition than La Liga.

Nevertheless, Engels’ move demonstrates the difficult reality facing Scottish clubs. Even Celtic, who remain Scotland’s dominant domestic force, can see talented players tempted away by the financial opportunities available in England.

For Engels, the transfer represents a significant career move, while Celtic must now focus on replacing a player who was an important part of their squad.