Stephen Welsh has signed a new four-year deal with Celtic which ties him to the club until the summer of 2027.

The 23-year-old defender is a graduate of the club’s academy and made his first-team debut in a Premiership match against Hamilton Accies back in February 2020.

Welsh has made 53 appearances and netted four times for the Hoops.

Speaking to the club's TV channel, Welsh said: “Signing a new contract for the club that I’ve been brought up on and have supported my whole life was, for me, an easy decision to stay at the club for another four years at least hopefully.

“It’s time for me to kick on now and hopefully I can have a few good seasons.

“I want to keep improving and continue to play as many games as I can, especially with the manager in now. He’s been massive for me since he’s come in.

“He’s one of the main reasons that I want to be at the club and I’m just looking forward to starting the season properly and going for it.

It’s not just about winning, it’s the performance levels for us as well. That’s what we look to and we’ve got a good mentality in the group, so everyone’s working in the same direction.

"To be at Celtic is all I can ask for, and I will give 100 per cent to the club and hopefully do everyone proud.”

READ MORE: Stephen Welsh pens new Celtic deal as defender reveals 'easy decision'

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers also praised Welsh to the hilt in the aftermath of the victory in the Granite City and said: "I thought he was excellent when he came in. I like Stephen. I took him with me one pre-season as a young player because I really liked him but for whatever reason he maybe hasn’t played the games.

"He is a Celtic boy, he wants to be at the club, I want him to be at the club. I said to him I can’t guarantee how many games you are going to play, he may play 40 games in the season, but I know he is always ready. He trains hard every day. He came into the game and played with composure. He’s aggressive."

Celtic now head to Rugby Park in their next match to kick off the defence of their League Cup crown against Derek McInnes' side who shocked Michael Beale's Rangers 1-0 in the opening Scottish Premiership match of the season at the same venue.

Join Tony Haggerty and Ryan McGinlay as they discuss all this and more in the video below