Nottingham Forest have tabled a third bid for Celtic midfielder Arne Engels worth up to £25m.
The English Premier League club failed with an initial £14m offer for the 22-year-old Belgium international and then had an improved £17m bid also turned down.
Sources have indicated Forest’s latest proposal is still short of the Scottish club’s valuation.
Engels joined Celtic for £11m from German club Augsburg in August 2024.
He has played 89 times in all competitions for the Glasgow club and helped them win the Scottish Premiership and Scottish League Cup last season.
“Honestly, I am telling you, I didn’t know anything about it,” said interim manager Martin O’Neill when asked about Forest’s move for Engels following Celtic’s 2-0 win over Falkirk on Sunday.
“If they have, then they must have done it during the game. And I would want it rebuffed, unless it was £100m.
“Then I think the board would step in there. No, absolutely, I would rather keep him.”
Both Celtic, who O’Neill says are close to making two signings, and Forest are in the Europa League play-offs that take place this month.
O’Neill’s side are second in the Premiership, six points behind leaders Hearts, while Forest are 17th in the Premier League.