welsh picked up an injury during a pre-season win against league of ireland club, shelbourne, prompting quinn and new manager roy keane to sign swedish winger tobias hysen and celtic midfielder ross wallace to fill the left-midfield role. welsh subsequently re-joined leicester on loan when he regained fitness, although he managed only four league starts for them, and returned to sunderland in the new year. coincidentally, sunderland's next game was against leicester at the walkers stadium, where welsh was named as an unused substitute.