Celtic have received a loan offer from KV Mechelen for defender Stephen Welsh. The 24-year-old is currently in the USA with the Scottish Champions and started the 4-3 win over Manchester City; although, it is clear that he is attracting interest.
According to Sky Sports’ Anthony Joseph, a number of clubs are interested in bringing the former Scotland U21s star in during the course of this summer transfer window.
KV Mechelen have made a loan offer for Celtic centre-back Stephen Welsh.
A number of clubs in the English Championship are also interested in the 24-year-old. pic.twitter.com/rR9LF0aFp4
— Anthony Joseph (@AnthonyRJoseph) July 26, 2024
Welsh has made 66 appearances for Celtic since making his debut in February 2020. The central defender has scored four goals and assisted once and it was clear that the manager saw him as a supporting first team option, behind Cameron Carter-Vickers, Gustaf Lagerbielke and Maik Nawrocki. However, the emergence of Liam Scales along with Lagerbielke failing to impress saw the Academy graduate compete with Nawrocki for that role as the third CB last year.
Celtic are in the market for a left-sided central defender to partner CCV, meaning that the manager would likely be reassessing his options at the back. Welsh is a homegrown talent and appears content to play a squad role. This makes him an ideal candidate at the moment but it might stunt his development into being a fully fledged first team candidate. This is an issue that the manager will need to weigh up before sanctioning a deal.
I like Welsh and he’s an inconsistent decent defender, but he’ll never be a 1st team regular. If he wants to progress his career, then he needs to leave, otherwise he’ll forever be a bit part player whose career will fizzle out without reaching his true potential.
HAIL HAIL
KEEP THE FAITH🍀🍀
take it, he needs more play time…and we have too many CBs
Inconsistent… so he needs to play more.
Coached better also ?
He’s been at Celts since he was 12.
We aren’t in a position to even consider letting Welsh go at present?
Simple reason is the requirement of Welsh for our 8 homegrown quota?
Also Welsh is a decent enough squad player, even if it remains doubtful that he will ever make it as a 1st choice CB starter imo?
Welsh is one of many players, who will possibly never play for a bigger club than ourselves in his career?
Even though his game time is fairly limited, he has already taken part in much bigger matches with ourselves, then he would get elsewhere, and still the prospect of more to come for himself with us?
Still think Rodgers overall 25man squad will consist of 5CB options within it imo?
At present Rodgers is looking at 7 CB options already in contact, with rumours of another left sided CB been added?
Out of our current 7 CB options, only Welsh or rocki can be considered as been able to do a job in the left or right CB positions imo?
Always felt Welsh could be considered as a 5th choice CB, with possibly 3rd choice in either CB positions, as his role within our squad imo?
That has currently changed with the injury to rocki now, so Welsh now been used as the backup to CCV within the squad?
Rodgers could well keep Welsh as his backup option for CCV, ahead of rocki now, especially with rocki constant injury concerns?
Personally still believe rocki is a better player than Welsh when he’s available?
Which remains the ongoing question regarding him as a squad player?
Welsh seems happy enough with his role within our squad, Rodgers happy enough with Welsh as a player for ourselves also?
Hopefully that current situation regarding Welsh remains intact for ourselves, not only for next season but potentially for a number of seasons to come also imo?