The latest on Stephen Welsh with European club hoping to sign Celtic defender on loan

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Brendan Rodgers still has a bit of work to do to get the players he needs at Celtic to tackle the season ahead.

With Viljami Sinisalo and Kasper Schmeichel still the only two new arrivals at the club so far, the Celtic fans are getting a little restless about the lack of transfer activity.

Paulo Bernardo is expected to become the next new arrival after reports suggested that he has already agreed terms to come to Celtic permanently after a successful season on loan.

But with every new arrival, there has to be outgoings to help balance the squad. Brendan Rodgers has already allowed Sead Haksabanovic and Hyeongyu Oh a Celtic exit and it seems that Stephen Welsh could be the next player to leave the club albeit on loan.

Mechelen ‘keen’ on Celtic defender

A report in the Daily Mail suggests that Belgian Pro League side, Mechelen, is ‘keen’ to sign Welsh on loan as he looks for more regular first-team football.

The Belgian club just missed out on Europe last season and possibly see Welsh as a player who could help them make that next step up in the league.

The former Scotland U21 international signed a new deal at Celtic last summer before being struck down by a cruel injury which kept him out for three months.

Described as ‘superb‘ by Joe Hart last season, Welsh struggled to break into the Celtic team due to the form of Liam Scales and Cameron Carter-Vickers.

The Celtic academy graduate made just 14 appearances for Brendan Rodgers as the Celtic boss used him in sporadic substitute appearances last season.

Now 24, Welsh is at an age where he needs first-team football to progress his career as since making his debut in a 4-1 win over Hamilton Accies in 2020, the central defender has made just 66 appearances over the last four years.

Welsh’s last loan spell away at Morton was cut short after Celtic recalled him just four months into his temporary move but it seems now that another move could be on the cards.

The Hoops defender has been no stranger to transfer interest after recent reports suggested that teams from England and the MLS were looking at him back in May.

Brendan Rodgers is obviously a fan of the defender after securing his long-term future last summer so hopefully Welsh will get a move so that he can prove that he could play a part in Celtic’s future successes.