Stephen Welsh

Following his move to Motherwell, Welsh's current-season form is up 258% on last season (Season 12→43), while his Rating eased 50→43. That makes this his strongest season for form to date.

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2025/26	Celtic	1	0	0	6.6	—	—
2025/26	MotherwellLoan · 4th	27	1	1	7.14	43	43
2024/25	KV MechelenLoan · 3rd	18	1	0	6.95	50	12
2024/25	Celtic · 1st	8	0	0	8.2	41	2
2023/24	Celtic · 1st	17	0	0	6.84	42	5
2022/23	Celtic · 1st	10	1	0	7	45	6
2021/22	Celtic · 1st	10	0	1	7.07	47	18

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 2 earlier seasons and 3 youth-team spells in the full career.

Scotland · international

Side	Apps	G
Scotland U21	8	0
Scotland U19	6	0
Scotland U17	9	0

Career caps & goals — tournament breakdown in the full career.

Scout report

Project playerCentral defender

S. Welsh is a 26-year-old central defender at Motherwell, enjoying a standout season — 1 goals and 1 assists in 28 appearances, a Season grade of 43, top 9% of Premiership centre-backs. On long-term scout potential he's rated 42.8, ranking 85th of 225 in the Premiership. In his prime years, he has been a regular starter (67% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 2.87 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Welsh.

Judged on this season alone, Welsh graded 43 — an excellent campaign that ranks top 9% of the 35 centre-backs in the Premiership, on 12 clean sheets and 2.865 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's a clear step up on last season (Season 12 → 43). Across the 6 seasons we hold, it's his best return yet.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 43, top 35% of the 35 centre-backs in the Premiership. At 26 Welsh is in his prime years, and a market index of 15.8 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

A career still climbing — Welsh is at his peak right now, and the curve hasn't flattened.

Peak: 2025/26Trending upBreakout: 2025/26

Current potentialTop 35% centre-backs · Premiership Current seasonTop 9% centre-backs · Premiership3rd-best centre-back in the Premiership85th in the Premiership · potential12th-highest potential centre-back in the Premiership

42.8

Ratingi

12th of 35 centre-backs

42.6

Seasoni

developing / rotation level

67%

Minutes

a regular starter

2.87

Def. actions / 90

moderate defensive volume

Output in context · Motherwell finished 4th of 12 · an upper-table side

2.87

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

2.87 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — moderate defensive volume, with 12 clean sheets across 28 appearances. Behind an upper-table side (4th of 12) the side controls more games, so the defensive load is lighter — the value sits as much in composure and ball progression as in raw volume. Going forward he chipped in 1 goal and 1 assist — a useful bonus from the back.

Strengths

Availability. On the pitch for 67% of available minutes — a dependable presence in the XI.

Watch points

Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

With a Rating of 42.8, Welsh carries the 12th-highest potential of the centre-backs in the Premiership (top 35%). Defensively he reads as moderate defensive volume (2.87 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). In the prime window — at or near peak market value, so the next two seasons are the ones to cash in or build around.

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %67%

Available fixtures38 of 38

Goals / 900.039

Assists / 900.039

Goal contribution / 900.078

Defensive actions / 902.865

Player flow

Goal involvements2

Shot conversion %100

Shot accuracy %25

Pass accuracy %90

Dribble success %33.3

Cards / 900.078

Foul involvement / 901.295

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~16), then tapers with age. At 26, Welsh sits on 15.8, at or near its peak. The blue line is Welsh's projected Rating — 42.8 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among centre-backs in the Premiership with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals1

Shots on target1

Shots4

Passing

Assists1

Pass accuracy90%

Possession

Successful dribbles2

Dribble success33.3%

Fouls won24

Defending

Tackles26

Interceptions40

Blocks7

Fouls committed9

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards2

Red cards0

Transfer history

Swansea2026/27 – now

Celtic(back from loan)2025/26 – 2026/27

Motherwell(on loan)2025/26 – 2025/26

Celtic(back from loan)2025/26 – 2025/26

KV Mechelen(on loan)2024/25 – 2025/26

Celticuntil 2024/25

Morton2019/20 – 2024/25

Celtic2019/20 – 2019/20

Mortonuntil 2019/20

About S. Welsh

Stephen Welsh is a 26-year-old centre-back who plays for Motherwell, born on January 19, 2000 in Coatbridge, standing 188 cm tall. He is from Scotland. Motherwell currently sit 4th of 12 in the Premiership.

This season

In the current season, S. Welsh has made 28 appearances with 1 goal and 1 assist across 2,293 minutes, averaging a 7.02 match rating over his last 10 rated games, with 2 yellow cards.

When S. Welsh plays, Motherwell's record this season is 13W-9D-6L — and his match ratings average 7.2 at home against 7.04 on the road.

Recent matches

May 16, 2026: 1-0 win away at Hibernian (90 minutes, 7.7 rating)
May 9, 2026: 1-1 draw at home vs Heart Of Midlothian (90 minutes, 6.9 rating)
May 2, 2026: 0-1 loss away at Falkirk (90 minutes, 6.6 rating)
April 26, 2026: 3-2 win away at Rangers (56 minutes, 6.9 rating)
April 11, 2026: 1-3 loss away at Heart Of Midlothian (90 minutes, 5.3 rating)
April 4, 2026: 2-3 loss at home vs Falkirk (90 minutes, 6.7 rating)
March 21, 2026: 0-0 draw at home vs Hibernian (90 minutes, 7.5 rating)
March 7, 2026: 1-2 loss away at Dundee (90 minutes, 7 rating)
February 28, 2026: 2-0 win at home vs Dundee Utd (90 minutes, 7.7 rating)
February 21, 2026: 5-0 win away at ST Mirren (90 minutes, 7.9 rating)

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates S. Welsh at 42.8 with a Season form score of 42.6, ranking 85th of 225 centre-backs in the Premiership. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 15 career titles — among them the League Cup and the Premiership. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 9 recorded seasons, S. Welsh has totalled 132 club appearances with 4 goals and 2 assists for 6 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2025/26, with 27 appearances for Motherwell.

S. Welsh's career has also included time at Swansea, Celtic, KV Mechelen and Morton.

On the international stage, S. Welsh has represented Scotland U21, Scotland U19, Scotland U17 — 23 caps in our records.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Performance data · by competition

Career

Scout report

Output in context · Motherwell finished 4th of 12 · an upper-table side

Strengths

Watch points