Welsh’s next target is to establish himself as a first-team regular with Rovers and take up the momentum of a career that has taken a meandering path in recent years.

Welsh said: “The moving about has brought me a bit of experience and I hope it will stand me in good stead for the different kind of games we will be involved in at Tranmere.

“I had good times at every club I’ve been to. What I want to do now is put games under my belt, try to play 40 games this season.

“I’m a passionate player, and I’ll be going for every 50-50 and 40-60, trying to win tackles and get the players on the ball who can create stuff and win games for us.”

Welsh believes that under Barnes, Tranmere will be playing the kind of football he was brought up on during his years in the Academy at Liverpool.

He said: “When I got a phone call from the gaffer he said he had known about me from my Liverpool days. The first conversation we had, he spoke about how he wanted to play football and what he wanted to bring to the club. He just seemed to be talking about the way I want to play.

“He wants to play the passing game. He wants to get the wide men on the ball and attack opposing teams.”

Welsh added: “I have always tried to base my game on what I was taught at Anfield. Obviously there are times in a game when you can’t do it, but nine times out of 10, you can.”