NO GURNEY ENGELS

O'Neill chuffed club were Nott for budging on mega bids. and insists Belgian star's fine too

- MICHAEL GANNON

CELTIC fans might be a tad peeved their club didn't splash the cash in the transfer window.

But Martin O'Neill reckons the Parkhead side made a major statement with one of the big deals that didn't go through.

The Hoops snapped up five loan signings in January - with Junior Adamu, Joel Mvuka and Benjamin Arthur checking in on deadline day to join recent arrivals Julian Araujo and Tomas Cvancara.

Celts have options to buy Cvancara, Adamu and Mvuka in the summer but it was keeping hold of Arne Engels that O'Neill insisted proves his club means business.

Nottingham Forest had a right go, mind you. Bids of £14million and £17m were immediately bounced.

But an offer of £20m - rising to £25m - could have turned a few heads in the boardroom - and the player's.

O'Neill was adamant Celtic's under-fire chiefs refused to buckle though - and he also insisted Engels refused to take the huff either, despite the prospect of turbocharging his wage packet.

The manager said: “We all talk about statements from football clubs and half the time I don't believe it.

“But I do think it is, because that was bid. To turn down that at this stage in January is really, really big,

“The consequences of that are really big. I never asked how they were making it up but let's say it was £20m with £5m added on and that was attainable, you're talking about £25m and that is big.