Most of the recent rumours about Celtic exits have been surrounding standouts like Josip Juranovic and Giorgos Giakoumakis, both of whom have been key parts of Ange Postecoglou’s team since last season and helped the Hoops to their Premiership and League Cup double. Thus, other clubs being interested in them would come as no surprise.
But it looks like it is not just Celtic’s first-team regulars who have caught the eye of clubs around Europe.
Stephen Welsh looks a bit lost in the shuffle at the moment. The likes of Cameron Carter-Vickers, Carl Starfelt and Moritz Jenz already seemed to be ahead of him in the pecking order, and the club have brought in Yuki Kobayashi as well, which is expected to reduce the Celtic youth graduate’s playing time even further.
But as reported by the Daily Record, clubs in England, Italy and France appear to be keeping an eye on Welsh while rumours online have also linked FC Porto with a possible interest in the Celtic defender.
Celtic star linked with surprise move to FC Porto despite struggling to get into starting XI
Welsh has always been very highly rated at Celtic but he has never quite nailed down his spot in the starting XI.
The Scotsman’s biggest problem is perhaps his consistency. There are games when he looks fantastic but then also others when it does not look like he is ready to be starting for Celtic.
The best thing for him at the moment might be to send him out on loan to a club where he will get regular playing time.
There is a top player in there, judging by his best performances, but Welsh has not been able to show that kind of form on a consistent basis. If he can manage to do that, he might be one of the best defenders in the Premiership. But at the moment, he is not there yet.