Celtic have taken a risk by sanctioning the exit of Arne Engels days before a Champions League play-off game. The Belgian midfielder has joined West Ham United for a Championship record transfer fee.

Engels was an automatic starter in Martin O'Neill's team though. So, could it be a decision that Celtic end up regretting if the tie against LASK does not end in victory?

To be fair, Mika Baur has been signed. But he is not viewed as an out-and-out replacement for Engels.

On the other hand, it looks like Celtic have their eyes on another midfielder, who is also a different profile to what Engels brought to the team.

According to Infotbal, Ermin Mahmic is negotiating a transfer abroad. Celtic remain among the interested parties for the midfielder but other clubs are also making inquiries.

Coach Branislav Fodrek said when discussing the situation of Mahmic: "We have an alternative with and without him, but the situation can change at any moment. He is training with the team, but it is hard to say how it will end up."

Mahmic is 21 years of age and was an absolute standout at the World Cup for Bosnia and Herzegovina. He scored two goals as the national team made history at the tournament.

Now, it might be time for the right step. Does that mean a move to Celtic? The Hoops supporters will hope so.

Once again, Mahmic is not the same profile as Engels. He is more of a number 10 who could be an understudy to Benjamin Nygren.

Obviously, Nygren has made an immense start to this campaign. While the Swede's overall quality has drawn criticism in the past, nobody can argue with his output.

Nygren has scored three goals and provided three assists in three games so far this season. You simply cannot argue with that. His ability to impact games is very special. It would not come as any surprise if the Swede turns out to be the next big-money Celtic transfer exit.

In Mahmic, Celtic might be looking to bring themselves a natural successor. He currently plays for Slovan Liberec and has shown signs of a player who can develop his output.

In 30 games for Slovan Liberec, the 21-year-old has scored eight goals and provided four assists. Not bad for 1716 minutes of football.

At the World Cup, he came off the bench and scored against Switzerland and Qatar. So, the natural eye for a goal is there. And to be honest, his overall game seems more impressive than Nygren.