Stephen Welsh is among the substitutes tonight as Celtic take on Al Ahli in the third-place playoff of the Como Cup.

The defender is back in the squad after shaking off a shoulder injury that cut short his last appearance.

The setback came during the friendly against Cork City. Welsh was handed the armband after the break but struggled during his short time on the pitch.

A miscommunication with Ross Doohan led to Cork’s leveller before a crunching challenge forced him to make an early exit. He left the pitch using his shirt to support his arm, raising concern about a more serious problem.

The timing wasn’t ideal, with his future at the club still uncertain following a strong loan spell in Belgium.

KV Mechelen had been monitoring his situation, as had several other clubs, but interest cooled while doubts over his fitness remained.

Now back training with the first team, Welsh will be keen to make up for lost time, though opportunities could be limited.

Cameron Carter-Vickers is first choice in the heart of defence, and there’s healthy competition between Liam Scales and new arrival Auston Trusty for the remaining slot.

Dane Murray has also featured regularly in pre-season, while both Kieran Tierney and Yuki Inamura offer further cover in the middle.

Should Welsh move on, whether temporarily or on a permanent deal, Celtic are expected to dip into the market again. Brendan Rodgers told CeltsAreHere earlier this summer that another centre-back is on the shopping list.

For now, Welsh is available again and could be called upon tonight if Brendan Rodgers decides to rotate his backline.