Stephen Welsh's departure from Celtic on a free transfer is now being viewed in a different light after his impressive start to life with Swansea City and Scotland. The 26-year-old defender has become a regular for the Championship leaders and made a composed international debut.

Celtic sit first in the Scottish Premiership standings on 18 points after seven games, but their defensive depth is a talking point. Welsh left Parkhead in the summer after the club terminated his contract with a year remaining. Martin O'Neill recalled him from a second loan spell at Motherwell in January, a move that prevented a potential sale. Celtic then allowed him to leave as a gesture of goodwill.

Martin O'Neill said, "They wanted to reward the defender for his loyalty to the club. He also helped them defend their title last season."

Impact at Swansea and Scotland

Welsh has been excellent for Swansea in England's second tier. The Swans have conceded just six goals this season and sit top of the Championship, with Welsh a key part of their defensive transformation. His form earned a Scotland call-up, and he kept a clean sheet on his debut against Slovenia. He completed 51 of 56 passes and created a big chance for Kieron Bowie with an accurate cross.

Stephen Welsh said, "I quite rightly credit Jens Berthel Askou for me seeing football in a different way. He's been a massive influence on me."

During his loans at Motherwell, Welsh had been performing as well as any of Celtic's central defenders. On current form, it is argued he would walk into the Celtic backline, which includes Cameron Carter-Vickers, Liam Scales, and Auston Trusty. The club's recent form shows two wins and three losses in their last five matches, including a 1-0 defeat to Rangers. Their next fixtures include a trip to Motherwell, where Welsh spent influential loan periods.

Celtic's next match is away to Motherwell on October 11, the club where Welsh spent influential loan periods. Motherwell currently sit ninth in the table. The decision to let a homegrown defender leave for nothing, only to see him thrive elsewhere, is now a subject of debate among supporters. Welsh's journey from Parkhead loanee to Scotland international is complete. His performances for Swansea have been statistically strong, placing him among the top defenders in the division for key metrics, which can be explored further in the detailed player stats.

Read the full report at Daily Record Football