Former Celtic boss Neil Lennon has thrown his support behind the club’s record signing Arne Engels, insisting the Belgian midfielder will prove his worth in time.

Engels, who joined the Hoops for a reported £11 million from Bundesliga side Augsburg this past summer, has faced criticism from some sections of the support due to the weight of expectation that comes with his price tag. However, Lennon believes patience will pay off.

Lennon believes that much of the scrutiny Engels faces stems directly from the significant fee Celtic paid for him.

The Belgian international, who has two starts for his country, was one of a few midfielders linked to Celtic towards the end of the transfer window so there was an added expectation placed on him.

Lennon drew with Nicolas Kuhn, who initially struggled but has since become a key contributor, leading the goal contribution charts this season.

The former Celtic manager said: [TCW]

“I think Arne Engels will be a good player. He’s probably going through that phase Nicolas Kuhn went through last year.

“It’s the price tag 100 per cent. Everyone’s looking at him saying you are Celtic’s record saying what have you got? You can see that he’s got good attributes and he’s a good athlete and he’s technically good. He just needs a bit more oomph in his game and a bit more game knowledge. All of that will come with experience.

“Don’t forget, Engels is only 21. This is the modern game as we tend to judge players so quickly. I think he’s more of a runner off the ball as he’s got great legs. It’s all about the timing of his runs into the box and he just needs to be a little bit better on the ball at times. I think there is also work to be done on the defensive side of his game.

“He’s playing alongside good players like Callum McGregor and Reo Hatate. It’s a good, strong and competitive midfield that Celtic have at the moment at their disposal. Even with Luke McCowan and Paulo Bernardo in there they have both got a wee bit more experience than Arne but trust me it will come. I’m sure Brendan will also want to develop the next successful player at the club.

“In a couple of years, Celtic could have a real player on their hands in the shape of Arne.”

While Engels has yet to fully justify his record fee, Lennon’s words serve as a reminder that patience and development are key. The young Belgian has the tools and the right environment to succeed, and if given time, he could become an integral part of Celtic’s future success.

It will be interesting to see whether or not he gets the nod from Rodgers in the cup final.