Stephen Welsh, a steadfast central defender with Celtic, was born on the 19th of January in 2000, making him presently 25 years of age. Having spent the majority of his footballing career within the Celtic ranks, he remains a staunch figure within the club and the Premiership at large in Scotland. He stands at a towering 6ft 3in (1.91m) and carries a weight of 12st 3lb (78kg), attributes that catapult his presence on the field. Celtic's number 57 has also served Scotland at an international level, featuring in the U21 national team.
As of the present, his market value stands at what some might describe as a modest €800k (£678k) according to Transfermarkt. His contract with Celtic is set to expire rather imminently, on the 30th of June, 2025, leaving him with only a couple of months remaining as a formal Celtic player.
Welsh initially joined Celtic back in July 2017, beginning his journey as a trainee. His debut season, the 2019 - 2020 tenure, saw him make a single appearance for the first team in league matches, marking a humble start to his Celtic career. His performances in the subsequent seasons allowed him to gradually amass more game time. In the 2020 - 2021 season, he made 16 appearances, even bagging a goal in the process. The 2021-2022 season highlighted a slight dip in form, with ten appearances under his belt. This reduced tally was short-lived, with Welsh managing to net another goal in the subsequent 2022 - 2023 season despite only four appearances.
In order to provide Welsh with more playing time and thus hone his skills, he went on loan to Greenock Morton, a Championship club in Scotland, in August 2019. Upon the completion of his loan spell in January 2020, he returned to Celtic, securing a string of first-team appearances in the seasons that followed. Sharp-eyed readers would remember the goal he scored in the 2020 - 2021 season, which he followed up with another in the 2022 - 2023 season in just four games. Welsh continued to make occasional appearances for the first team in the seasons leading up to the current 2025 - 2026 season in which he is yet to feature.
Seeking new challenges and horizons, Welsh was lent to Mechelen, a Pro League outfit in Belgium, in January 2025. There, he pulled on their kit for seven first-team league matches. He returned to Celtic in June 2025 and continues to patiently await his turn, as he has yet to feature in the first team for the ongoing 2025 - 2026 season.
We also cannot neglect his notable contributions to Celtic in the Champions League 2023 - 2024, where he managed to secure a start. A true marking of progress from his humble beginnings.
