As always, the excitement of potential new Celtic signings in the summer transfer window is offset by the possibility of players leaving the club. While Brendan Rodgers will be busy looking over options to strengthen the squad for next season, he will surely be reviewing the existing roster. And it seems inevitable that we will see some departing Parkhead.
Stephen Welsh has seemed likely to move away for some time now. He was been behind Carl Starfelt, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Yuki Kobayashi and Tomoki Iwata in the pecking order last season, and even Moritz Jenz while the German defender was at the club.
Welsh only made a handful of appearances last season and his chances of ever being a starter for Celtic seem slim to none. He has been tipped for loan moves in the past, but could be leaving on a permanent basis this summer.
As reported by Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Celtic appear to be willing to let Welsh leave for a transfer fee around €1.5 million. The defender is a target for two Italian clubs, Bologna and Hellas Verona.
Celtic ready to let player go for €1.5 million transfer fee
Being so far down the pecking order and seeing other players come and go in the centre-back position suggests that Welsh is unlikely to feature much next season. There are still some question marks over the depth in that area for the Hoops, but the Scot doesn’t seem to be the answer.
Welsh has a deal with Celtic until the summer of 2025. So, this would be a good time to part ways with the player and bring in a transfer fee.
A move to Italy could be an attractive option for him to get regular playing time and kickstart his career again. Welsh needs to be playing every week, which he is not doing at Celtic.