As Ange Postecoglou adds to the Celtic ranks, it was only a matter of time until those players on the fringes of the first team were linked with a move away from the club.
With the usual Juranovic and Giakoumakis rumours doing the rounds, I think we all expected players like James McCarthy, Yosuke Ideguchi and Stephen Welsh to be one of those players that could potentially be moved on.
And it’s Stephen Welsh that is the subject of the latest transfer rumour.
According to the Daily Record, Welsh is being tracked by a number of clubs this January window with Portuguese giants, Porto, one club that is named as a potential suitor for the Scotland under 21 international and journalist, Scott Burns has said that the club ‘have a decision to make’ on his future.
EXCLUSIVE! Stephen Welsh Celtic transfer exit gathers pace as Porto join growing list of January suitors | @ScottBurns75 https://t.co/daPghBKzyy pic.twitter.com/WJgMqaRteZ
— Record Celtic Podcast (@DR_Celtic) December 18, 2022
Welsh has been used sparingly this season by Ange Postecoglou as Cameron Carter-Vickers and Moritz Jenz formed a good understanding whilst Carl Starfelt spent some time on the sidelines injured.
Starfelt made his first team return over the weekend and played the full 90 minutes as Jenz was dropped to the bench.
Welsh didn’t even make the bench on Saturday with Bosun Lawal being preferred, which points to a possible exit for the 22-year-old.
Welsh is at an age where he needs first-team football if he is to continue to develop and maybe take the next step in his international career and, so far, it seems that may not be forthcoming this season under Ange.