Stephen Welsh gets Celtic exit green light and in-demand Dane Murray causes a buzz – Scott Burns' Parkhead notebook

Celtic are ready to let Stephen Welsh join KV Mechelen on loan.

The Belgian side have already tabled a couple of offers to land the Hoops defender. The champions are set to sanction the move to allow Welsh to get back playing regularly in the January window. Welsh came in and started in the recent draw against Dundee United but wasn’t even stripped for yesterday’s win over St Johnstone.

Brendan Rodgers has Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty and Liam Scales all in front of Welsh. He also has Maik Nawrocki and is set to bring Dane Murray back from loan at Queen’s Park. Murray is attracting Premiership and English interest but could now be kept in the building and he would also satisfy the homegrown rule for Europe.

Welsh has come through the Celtic ranks but at 24 feels he needs regular top-level football. KV Mechelen have been trailing him since the summer and are ready to give him that opportunity, as they push for their domestic play-offs.

It would also add to Welsh’s value with him going into the final year of his contract come the summer. Celtic did something similar when they sent Jack Hendry to KV Oostende on-loan and then sold him to the Belgian side. Rodgers has already said he is looking to add to his table-topping squad with a left winger his main priority.

Kieran Tierney is also on the radar with Arsenal confirming they won’t take up his option to extend his deal beyond the summer. There are also a number of fringe players like to be moved on with Brazilian side Internacional looking to seal a deal for Alejandro Bernabei.

He has impressed on-loan in Brazil and they want to sign him permanently. Celtic signed Bernabei from Lanus in 2022 but he has struggled to hold down the regular left-back slot.