With pre-season preparations continuing to ramp up, Celtic FC Women welcomed their second new addition of the window, with the signing of Claire Walsh. The Republic of Ireland internationalist joins the Hoops with plenty of SWPL experience, having spent the last four years with Glasgow City. During her time there, Walsh played her part on the domestic and European stage, winning the title with City in 2023. Now, the defender moves on to a new challenge in the East End of Glasgow, joining up with Elena Sadiku’s squad for the 2025/26 campaign. And speaking in her first interview as a Celtic player, Walsh insisted she can’t wait to get going as a Celtic player, especially having been in the stands as a supporter. She said: “I’m really excited to have signed for the club. Celtic is obviously a massive club! “It’s somewhere I have been as a fan many times. So to come in here as a player is pretty cool. I’m really excited for it! ‘First and foremost, I’m a really hard worker. I’ll always have my team-mates back, and I absolutely love to defend.’ “It’s good to be familiar with the league, and know the ins-and-outs of all the other teams, so hopefully that will help. “For me, it’s obviously a new challenge. Meeting new people at a new club. So it’s about settling in as best as I can and try to positively influence the team.”As a player, Claire Walsh has experience playing in not only Scotland, but also the United States and her native Ireland. Alongside winning trophies as a Glasgow City player, the defender also lifted two leagues and a cup with Irish side, Peamount United. Her CV showcases what she will be bringing to the Celtic squad, and much of the squad will be aware of that, having faced Walsh on countless occasions. By her own admission, the 30-year-old believes it already feels like she knows much of the group. It also helps to have some familiar faces around, having featured at international level alongside new club team-mate, Saoirse Noonan. Now the defender is ready to get going in the Hoops, as she admitted it would be a dream come true to run out at Paradise once more, having already done so with Glasgow City against Celtic in 2023. “I think it helps having people in the squad that you know,” she explained. “I was saying to the girls, it’s funny because I feel like I know some of them. “But that is just from playing against them. I don’t actually know them personally. But it’s helpful to have a familiar face in Saoirse. “It’s a really broad dressing room in terms of age, experience, where players have played before, and where they are from. ‘That is class to have that. So I’m just hoping to come in and bring what I have experienced before and help as much as I can.’ “I remember playing against Celtic in 2023, and the atmosphere was amazing! It’s like something I’ve never experienced before. “So I would love to have that experience of playing at Celtic Park as a Celtic player.”
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