Celtic are set to move on from Stephen Welsh.
With no official confirmation on who will be in charge of Celtic next season, it hasn’t stopped the club from making its first set of moves ahead of the 2026 summer transfer window opening on June 15.
On Tuesday, news broke that Welsh will leave Celtic after he and the club agreed to ‘terminate’ his contract 12 months early.
Welsh was on loan at Motherwell during the recently concluded campaign, and before this news broke about his future, Chris Sutton had put the centre-back in his Premiership Team of the Season.
“I am going to get a Celtic player in there, Stephen Welsh,” said Sutton. “If you look at his performances, his versatility and the way he is asked to play. Some of the positions he takes up. He can handle the ball.
“But I think he has had a phenomenal season, he is alongside Craig Halkett.”
Would you have given Stephen Welsh another chance at Celtic?
Chris Sutton expressed ‘surprise’ at Stephen Welsh’s situation before Celtic exit
Remember, during the mess of this season, Welsh was recalled from his loan spell at Motherwell over the winter period, before being sent back.
Sutton told the Warm-Up that the club’s handling of it all baffled him, as Benjamin Arthur came in from Brentford on a short-term deal until the end of the season.
Nonetheless, Sutton thinks Welsh had a ‘phenomenal’ campaign at Fir Park, but clearly, it wasn’t enough to keep him at Celtic Park.
“I am going to go slightly different,” said Sutton. “I am going to get a Celtic player in there. Stephen Welsh.
“Everything Kris (Boyd) says about (Craig) Halkett and (Stuart) Findlay is spot on, and I get that.
“But Stephen Welsh, what happened in January, I can’t quite get my head around with him leaving Celtic and going back to Motherwell.
“If you look at his performances, his versatility and the way he is asked to play. Some of the positions he takes up. He can handle the ball.
“He surprised me. I wasn’t so sure about him at Celtic. But I think he has had a phenomenal season, he is alongside Craig Halkett.”
Celtic’s current centre-back options for next season
There are many areas of the pitch that Celtic need to sort out, and bringing in a centre-back is one of them.
Auston Trusty and Liam Scales were at the heart of the defence during Celtic’s domestic double triumph, with Cameron Carter-Vickers out injured for most parts.
But with Arthur, as of this moment, set to return to Brentford, it does leave the Hoops threadbare at the back.
- Cameron Carter-Vickers
- Auston Trusty
- Liam Scales
- Dane Murray
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