STEPHEN WELSH is poised to become one of the first players to leave Celtic this summer.
The 23-year-old central defender has emerged as a transfer target for Serie A side Hellas Verona.
The Italian outfit rate Welsh in the £3million bracket – the identical amount they paid Hibs for the versatile Hoops star’s former Scotland Under-21 team-mate Josh Doig who is now on the wanted list of Bologna.
The same club, who swooped for Aberdeen’s Lewis Ferguson a year ago, are also monitoring the versatile Celt’s situation, according to a report in the Scottish Daily Mail.
NOW YOU SEE ME…a rare first-team outing for Stephen Welsh last season in the shock 2-0 loss to St Mirren in Paisley in September.
Welsh kicked off last season in the top side and, in fact, scored the champions’ first goal of the Premiership crusade when he headed in against the Dons inside three minutes of the 2-0 opening-day win at Parkhead on July 31.
However, the back-four operator faded from the picture as the season continued with Ange Postecoglou satisfied with his central defensive partnership of Cameron Carter-Vickers and Carl Starfelt.
Welsh, who is under contract until June 2025, made only six first-team starts last season following 24 appearances the previous term.
The Coatbridge-born defender, who made his debut at right-back in a 4-1 win over Hamilton Accies at New Douglas Park in February 2020, has attracted attention from other clubs in the recent past.
Udinese were also linked before the January transfer deadline and others who have been credited with an interest are Porto, Toulouse, Hajduk Split and Sheffield Wednesday.
