If a report from Sky Sports (as cited by The Daily Record) is believed to be true, Celtic centre-half Stephen Welsh has emerged as a summer target for Mechelen. The Belgian outfit are keen on having him on a season-long loan, and so are several English Championship sides to bolster themselves in the heart of the backline.
The 24-year-old former Scotland youth international progressed through the Hoops academy ranks before being loaned to Greenock Morton for first-team experience. He eventually earned a sporadic role and has, so far, appeared 66 times including 14 outings last season in all competitions [stats via Transfermarket].
The Hoops have ample options in deep defence with Cameron Carter-Vickers and Liam Scales cementing the starting status throughout the previous campaign. Maik Nawrocki and Gustaf Lagerbielke are also there as squad players, however, Welsh remains ahead of them in the pecking order. He could have had more minutes last term, but an ankle injury sustained in August ruled him out till December.
While the Scotsman would prefer a regular gametime after years of bit-part status, the quality of Carter-Vickers and the emergence of Scales have further jeopardized his Celtic future. The left-right combination offers them more balance, stability and composure and Brendan Rodgers, therefore, does not fancy him ahead of the defensive pair.
Why Rodgers Must Explore All Aspects Before Making The Call
Yet the Northern Irish boss must decide whether to retain him or rope in a new name to restore depth and parity at the back. Despite being a part of Celtic’s squad for the US tour, Yuki Kobayashi does not belong to the manager’s plans. Also, the future looks bleak for Lagerbielke who was close to joining Leece in winter. An injury to Carter-Vickers saw the Celts pull the plug on a potential transfer, but the Swedish centre-half is open to a fresh challenge amid renewed interest from the Serie A side.
Naworcki was supposed to be a statement signing when he plied his trade from Legia Warsaw for a fee of around £4.3m. However, the Polish youngster failed to meet the expectations due to persistent injury problems. He has only featured 13 times since his summer move and a much-needed pre-season is now thwarted due to a calf strain suffered against Ayr United earlier this month. A loan spell in Belgium would help Welsh develop his game, but the gaffer must assess the growing uncertainties before sanctioning the deal in the coming days.
