FORGOTTEN Celtic man Stephen Welsh could be set for a shock European transfer, according to reports.
Ange Postecoglou has consistently added defensive reinforcements to his Celtic side since his arrival 18 months ago including the new defensive partnership os Carl Starfelt and Cameron Carter Vickers, despite having the youngster at his disposal.
Despite this, Welsh made 24 appearances in all competitions under Ange Postecolgou last term as he looked to stake his claim in the Hoops backline.
But his game time has come under threat this seasonh despite featuring heavily during pre-season.
The arrival of German defender Mortiz Jenz pushed the Scot further down Postecoglou’s pecking order and has left the youngster with little to no game time, making just six appearances in all competitions.
Injuries have also plagued the 22-year-old this season as he’s struggled to nail down a spot in Postecoglou’s starting XI.
And the December arrival of highly-rated Japanese defender Yuki Kobayashi looks to have pushed him down the pecking order even further which, in turn, has alerted a string of clubs to his situation.
Welsh was of interest to Italian side Udinese this time last year, who saw a loan move with an option to buy the youngster rebuffed by the Parkhead side and they have since turned their attentions to Hibs defender Ryan Porteous.
And it’s been a similar story this January transfer window as Porto were credited with an interest in the stopper last month.
But the race for Welsh has taken another twist as a new shock name has emerged as a potential destination for the Scotland defender as he continues to attract interest.
Croatian giants Hajduk Split are said to be ‘monitoring’ Welsh’s situation according to a report.
The Scotsman have this morning reported that the Croatian side are keeping tabs on Welsh’s situation as he remains on the sidelines at Parkhead.
The Hoops would demand a significant fee for the youngster who progressed from their academy into the first team, with his contract running until 2025.
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