Swansea City move closer to Celtic deal as forgotten player nears exit | OneFootball

Swansea City are close to signing Celtic defender Stephen Welsh

Swansea City have turned to Celtic as Vitor Matos vies to bolster his defence ahead of the 2026/27 Championship season.

The Swans finished 11th in the second tier last term, nine points adrift of sixth-place Hull City, who clinched promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs.

Next season's Championship play-offs will include the teams who finish seventh and eighth, which potentially boosts the South Wales club's chances of winning promotion.

Matos must also ensure that his side enjoy a strong transfer window to have a chance of booking a place in the Premier League for the first time since suffering relegation from the top flight in 2018.

Swansea City close in on deal to sign out-of-favour Celtic ace

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Celtic successfully won the Scottish Premiership title last term, but they fell below their usual standards, and boss Martin O'Neill is keen to oversee both arrivals and departures in the transfer market this summer.

The Glasgow giants will also want to enjoy a stronger European campaign next season, having been beaten to a Champions League spot by Kazakhstan's Kairat Almaty last summer.

According to the Daily Record, Swansea are closing in on a multi-year deal for Celtic defender Stephen Welsh, who spent the vast majority of last season on loan with Motherwell.

The 26-year-old made 27 Scottish Premiership appearances for the Fir Park club last term, scoring one goal and registering one assist in the process.

Motherwell finished fourth in the top flight last season and were widely credited with playing the most attractive football in their division, despite finishing behind Rangers, Hearts, and champions Celtic.

Having allowed Welsh to leave on loan last term, O'Neill's side are now set to part company with him permanently, with Swansea set to benefit from that.

Stephen Welsh could be a strong addition for Swansea

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Motherwell punched above their weight in the Scottish Premiership last term, and Welsh played a key part in that, excelling in the majority of his 27 top-flight appearances.

According to FotMob, Welsh had a pass accuracy of 90.3 per cent in the league last season, showing he was a key asset in Jens Berthel Askou's possession-based ethos.

Motherwell had the third-highest average possession in the Scottish Premiership last campaign, with only Celtic and Rangers enjoying more of the ball in their fixtures.

Similarly, Swansea had the fifth-highest average possession in the Championship last season, thanks to Matos' philosophy of playing out from the back.

Therefore, Welsh has what it takes to perform for the Swans both with and without the ball, which could bolster their chances of finishing in the play-offs.

The success of the South Wales outfit's summer transfer window largely hinges on whether they manage to retain last season's Championship golden boot winner Zan Vipotnik.

According to Football Insider, Swansea valued Vipotnik at £15million in April, amid interest in the striker's services from Premier League club Brighton.

Matos will want to keep the 24-year-old, while signing former Motherwell loan star Welsh will undoubtedly strengthen his defensive options ahead of next term.