It was always inevitable that with Neil Lennon taking the Rapid Bucharest job, links to Celtic players would emerge.
We discussed earlier how Anthony Joseph said Celtic were about to make big moves in the transfer market this summer to strengthen for next season.
Out of all the decisions Brendan Rodgers had to make, the Sky Sports journalist said that the Celtic boss was to ‘make a decision’ on Stephen Welsh’s future despite the former Scotland u21 international signing a new deal last summer.
However, it seems that that decision could be creeping ever closer if this recent claim is to be believed.
Neil Lennon wants Stephen Welsh
The former Celtic boss took up his post at Rapid Bucharest this week and it seems he has immediately got to work.
Sitting sixth in the Romanian league, Lennon certainly has a job on his hands to improve his new club’s fortunes and it seems that he sees Welsh as part of that.
Journalist, Sorin Chiriac, posted on Instagram, “Neil Lennon does not come empty-handed to Rapid! I understand that he would have already proposed a list of players.
“The first would be Stephen Welsh, a 24-year-old Scottish former youth international, who belongs to Celtic Glasgow, for whom he has only made one appearance this season.” [translated by DeepL]
Indeed, as we all know Welsh has made much more than just one appearance for Celtic this season.
Injury issues have meant that the Celtic centre-back has seen game time limited but he has still managed 14 run-outs in the green and white hoops.
A product of Celtic’s academy, speculation about Welsh’s future always seems to ramp up during every transfer window and it seems that Lennon may well be trying to get his interest in early.
Welsh featured regurlarly under Lennon during his second spell as the Celtic manager. Appearing 42 times for the Northern Irishman over his two-and-a-half-year tenure, Lennon knows what Welsh is all about. [Transfermarkt]
However, a recent shoulder injury against St Mirren could delay any possible move should Lennon take any interest forward.
This is one we will certainly watch closely as the weeks go by.