Leave Him Where He Is – Celtic Told Not To Recall Star By Midfielder | OneFootball

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Motherwell star Andy Halliday has admitted he hopes Celtic leave Stephen Welsh at Fir Park and do not recall him in the January transfer window.

Welsh, 25, was deemed surplus to requirements at Celtic Park in the summer and he was sent out on loan to fellow Scottish Premiership outfit Motherwell.

In the summer of 2024, Celtic refused to play ball over Welsh, despite Belgian side Mechelen making a move for him.

They eventually managed to loan him in the 2025 January transfer window and Welsh clocked regular game time in Belgium.

Plymouth Argyle tried to sign Welsh in the recent summer window, but ended their pursuit and he signed for Motherwell.

He has been a pivotal part of Motherwell’s recent success, playing in five of the last six games the Steelmen have managed clean sheets in.

Halliday, who has seen Motherwell’s success at close quarters, believes that Welsh has been a major part of it.

He further hopes that despite Wilfried Nancy’s desire to play three at the back, and the need for defenders to suit the system, the Hoops will not recall Welsh and he will be allowed to finish the season with Jens Berthel Askou’s team.

“Six clean sheets in a row for Motherwell and Stephen Welsh for me, has been a major, major part of that”, Halliday said on Clyde 1’s Superscoreboard (8.34).

“It has been funny because, suddenly, I am listening that Celtic playing three at the back and they need to sign centre-halves in January.

“Well, hopefully, they go and sign a couple of centre-halves in January and leave Stephen Welsh where he is because he is doing ever so well for Motherwell.”  

Nancy will get his first opportunity to bring in the players he wants for his system when the transfer window opens soon.

However, with Brendan Rodgers not being fully backed, the jury is out on how much influence Nancy will be able to have on fresh faces arriving at Celtic Park.

With Celtic now in a battle for the title though, it remains to be seen how much time the club can realistically give Nancy unless he goes on a sustained winning run.