Motherwell have timescale for decision on potential return for Stephen Welsh

Jens Berthel Askou admits there is a cut-off point for Stephen Welsh’s possible return before Motherwell go in a different direction.

The 26-year-old defender has been a key component in the Steelmen’s fine form this season but was recalled from his loan spell at Fir Park by parent club Celtic after helping Well to a 1-1 draw at Hibernian on January 10, with Hoops interim boss Martin O’Neill not ruling out a return to the Lanarkshire club for the second half of the season.

Welsh played in the Hoops’ 2-0 Scottish Gas Scottish Cup win over Auchinleck Talbot at Rugby Park on Sunday which means he can only remain at Parkhead or go back to Motherwell, as rules forbid him from featuring for a third club in one season.

Amid the uncertainty around Welsh’s future, Berthel Askou is making plans to bolster his squad following the recruitment of striker Eythor Bjorgolfsson from Swedish side Umea earlier in the week.

Asked if he had a timescale for Welsh’s return before he moves on, the Fir Park boss said: “We do, yes, but not something that I will share here.

“We have a good dialogue with Celtic and with Stephen and his background backroom team, his agent and we’ll see where that goes.

“But we hoped that would have been resolved earlier.

“And obviously, we need to do our work in the background so we don’t end up with nothing there.

“There’s a situation where we lost a very good centre-back and what’s going to happen is uncertain.

“We have a really good dialogue with them, but obviously time is passing and the window is closing and we need to obviously prepare and have something lined up so that’s what we are doing to have alternatives there because we can’t leave that to the final one (day) so we are obviously working really intensively on that.

“And then we’re always looking to see if we can make the squad even stronger. So hopefully one or two more before the window is closed.”

Berthel Askou was pleased to reveal that Sam Nicholson, out since February 2025 with a knee problem, “is almost back in full training and that’s fantastic,” while Andy Halliday is returning from injury.

He said: “We have to be patient and smart with his progression.

“But it’s really positive for everyone and especially me, who hasn’t really seen him as a player, to see him out there because he’s a lovely person and very good football player.

“And Andy, who’s also been out for a while, is also on his way back and it’s really truly good to have these guys back as well.”