Watch Erik Sviatchenko on video

Erik Sviatchenko is expected to sign for Celtic later today after undergoing a medical.

A fee in the region of £1.5m has been agreed with Midtjylland for the 24-year-old defender who has dual Danish and Ukranian nationality.

Sviatchenko has come through the ranks at Midtjylland and played for the Danish side in all of this season’s Europa League group matches.

Ronny Deila has been keen to add experience to experience to his side with Sviatchenko a few years older than summer signings Dedryck Boyata and Jozo Simunovic.

The 24-year-old was troubled by injures in 2013 and 2014 but played regularly during 2015 helping the Danish side past Southampton in the Europa League qualifiers.

Midtjylland finished second to Napoli in Europa League Group D ahead of Brugges and Legia Warsaw. In the last 32 of the competition Midtjylland have been drawn against Manchester United

The likely arrival of Sviatchenko is Celtic’s first piece of business in the January window and a clear sign that Deila has the backing of the Celtic board in a bid to win the title and qualify for the group stage of the Champions League.

In recent years the January transfer window has been highly successful for Celtic with Leigh Griffiths and Stefan Johansen signed in the 2014 window followed by Gary Mackay-Steven and Stuart Armstrong 12 months ago.

On the way out Anthony Stokes is expected to agree to a loan deal with Hibs through until the end of the season with the Edinburgh side agreeing terms with Celtic yesterday.