Stephen Welsh, born on 19th January 2000 (age 25) in Scotland, is a stouthearted defender who locks horns primarily as a central defender for Belgian side Mechelen. Standing proud at a towering 6ft 3in (1.91m) and weighing a solid 12st 3lb (78kg), Welsh a prominent fixture on the pitch, clad in number 21. His skills have propelled him into the limelight of the Scotland U21 national team. Transfermarkt fixtures his current market value hovering around the £700k mark. His contract with Mechelen has a short lease of 2 months more, with the expiry date inked as 30th June 2025.
Welsh commenced his professional journey in the summer of July 2017 with Celtic, engraving his name in the Premiership in Scotland. His debut season (2019-2020) with Celtic displayed his potential, as he scored a single appearance in the first team for league matches. The subsequent season of 2020-2021 showcased significant growth, Welsh seeing the pitch 16 times and making a successful strike on a single occasion in league matches. In the seasons of 2021-2022 and 2022-2023, Welsh made ten and four first team appearances respectively, scoring one goal again in the latter season for league matches. The 2023-2024 season saw him make ten more appearances in the first team, and the current season of 2024-2025 already notes one appearance to his name.
Amid his journey with Celtic, Welsh spent some time with Greenock Morton in the Championship in Scotland. The transfer took place in August 2019, and saw his return to Celtic in January 2020 upon the completion of his loan. During his stint with Greenock Morton, Welsh pulled off commendable performances, further refining his abilities.
Moving forward, in the January of 2025, Welsh branched out from Celtic to the Belgian Pro League, joining Mechelen on loan. His current season with Mechelen has already seen him on the pitch seven times for first team appearances in league matches. Welsh has also been a key player in the Pro League Play-Offs 2024-2025 for Mechelen, earning eight starts.
Stephen Welsh's rich history in the Premiership, coupled with his undebatable progress in the Pro League has established him as a player of grand potential. The Mechelen faithful expect the defender's remarkable prowess to steer the team towards greater victories, even as his association with the Celtic chapter remains etched in their history.
