Should Celtic sell any of the three for profit?

Not unless an exceptional bid arrives; McGregor should stay for continuity, Maeda is more valuable retained for European impact, and Engels provides depth that's costly to replace.

Which of the three is most important in big European games?

McGregor for control and Maeda for counter-attack moments — McGregor’s leadership and tempo control are the most consistently decisive.

Three Pillars, One Club: How Engels, Maeda and McGregor Shape Celtic's Present — and Future

Celtic are in that uncomfortable sweet spot between dominance at home and proving themselves in Europe; how you value individuals changes the story. Engels, Maeda and McGregor are not interchangeable pieces — they occupy different currencies: defensive reliability, explosive transition threat, and midfield control. The true question is less their market price and more how each influences tactics, squad balance and results when the stakes rise.

Callum McGregor remains the team’s axis: the hat that makes the rest of the outfit sit right. He controls tempo, shields the defense and provides an intelligence few on the roster can match; losing him would be a tactical bloodletting rather than a simple personnel change. His value is measured not only in assists or passes completed but in the coherence he lends to Ange Postecoglou’s patterns.

Daizen Maeda is a different asset — raw speed, relentless pressing, and the kind of dynamic movement that opens space for others. He’s less about volume of touches and more about the moments he creates: darting runs behind defences, urgent pressing triggers and an ability to tilt games on the counter. In European fixtures where space is scarce, Maeda’s value spikes; domestically, he is a nightmare for full-backs and a commercial boost with global resonance.

Engels is the silent stabiliser: reliable, perhaps under-celebrated, but the player whose presence lets the team play higher and looser. Whether as a centre-back who reads danger early or a utility option who mends tactical gaps, Engels buys the manager strategic options that are otherwise costly to replicate. His true worth is revealed in matches where margins are fine and mistakes are punished.

The Guru’s verdict is clear: McGregor is non-negotiable — build the midfield around him and protect him; Maeda should be a kept and sharpened weapon for European nights; Engels should be retained unless a truly transformative offer arrives, because depth like his is insurance against ambition. If Celtic want progression rather than patchwork, they sign the first two as pillars and treat the third as the fine-tuning that makes a squad a squad.