League One club Plymouth Argyle has reportedly approached Celtic with an offer to take centre-back Stephen Welsh on loan this summer.
According to Sky Sports’ Anthony Joseph, the Scottish Premiership champions are considering Argyle’s bid for the 25-year-old.
It has been a frantic preseason at Home Park with various incomings and departures grabbing the headlines.
Tom Cleverley is attempting to mastermind an immediate return to the Championship for the Pilgrims in his first season at the helm.
Plymouth Argyle to Continue Scottish Premiership Raid
The Green Army already has a raft of new signings to cast their eye over upon their return to the EFL’s third tier.
Should a deal with Celtic materialise for Welsh, he would become the third player to sign for Argyle from north of the border this summer.
Left back Jack MacKenzie made the switch from Scottish cup winners Aberdeen, a move that bolsters Tom Cleverley’s options in the backline.
Owen Oseni also joined the ranks at Home Park from St Mirren, one of three strikers already across the threshold this close season.
Plymouth Argyle has placed an emphasis on reinforcing their defence ahead of their League One return. They have already secured the services of Brendan Sarpong-Wiredu from Fleetwood Town after a lengthy bidding war with their EFL rivals.
How has Welsh fared so far?
Stephen Welsh is a product of the Celtic Academy, signing his first professional contract at Celtic Park in 2018.
He has made 42 senior appearances for his boyhood club and has played his part in six league title wins.
The former Scotland youth international has also accumulated valuable experience in past loan spells away from Parkhead.
He embarked on a season-long loan move to Greenock Morton in 2019 before being recalled to accommodate absentees at Celtic.
He spent the second half of last campaign on loan with Belgian club K. V. Mechelen in the Jupiler Pro League. Brendan Rodger’s team had rebuffed a permanent bid for Welsh from Mechelen the previous summer.
He featured 17 times during his spell in Belgium, playing an integral role in the backline. He also contributed an important goal in a match against FCV Dender.
As recently as last week, Welsh was part of the Celtic squad competing at the Como Cup preseason tour.
Celtic Weigh Up Their Next Move
It has been a largely frustrating summer so far for Celtic, with many transfer targets failing to transpire.
Brendan Rodgers is determined to breathe fresh energy and hunger into his squad, already brimming with serial winners. He is growing increasingly impatient with the lack of urgency regarding transfer negotiations.
As they target a fourteenth league title in the past fifteen seasons, Rodgers wants to maintain the high standards in the East End of Glasgow. The Northern Irish boss is also keen to make an impact in next season’s UEFA Champions League too.
With incomings at a shortage, it remains to be seen whether Celtic will be willing to let their experienced players leave on loan.
With a link to Manchester City starlet Jahmai Simpson-Pusey gathering momentum, his future could have a knock-on effect for a possible move for Welsh.
The destination of where Stephen Welsh will play his football next season will be an interesting transfer story to keep an eye on in the coming days.