Hadjuk Split are apparently ‘monitoring Stephen Welsh’s situation’ at Celtic.
The defender is expected to resume training this week after picking up an injury during Celtic’s training week in Portugal last month.
With Ange Postecoglou adding Yuki Kobayasji to his defensive options Welsh faces a tough task to get any meaningful game time at Celtic in the coming months.
Croatian clubs are best known for selling players, importing players for fees more than £1m is barely known but this morning The Scotsman reports:
The Scotsman has learned that Croatian outfit Hadjuk Split are monitoring Stephen Welsh’s situation at Celtic. The 22-year-old centre-half has found game-time limited under Ange Postecoglou this season and faces stiff competition against regular pairing Cameron Carter-Vickers and Carl Starfelt, as well as Moritz Jenz and recent acquisition Yuki Kobayashi.
Welsh has also been linked with a move to Udinese, although the Italians are understood to be more keen on brokering a deal for Hibs’ Ryan Porteous, whose contract expires in the summer. Celtic would command a sizeable fee for Welsh as he tied to the club until 2025.
There is a big difference between monitoring a player and putting together a transfer fee and wages package that will kick start round the table negotiations.
As a lifelong fan of the club Welsh would obviously prefer to stay at Celtic but turning 23 this month his career requires regular first team football to properly develop.
Porto and Udinese have previously been credited with an interest in the Celtic defender.
A loan deal abroad would be right for all parties, the young man has to develope. Sitting on the bench won’t achieve that.