Celtic defender Erik Sviatchenko set to join FC Midtjylland on loan

Midtjylland-bound: Erik Sviatchenko. Picture: John Devlin

The 26-year-old Dane has found himself down the pecking order at Parkhead and is still hopeful of making his country’s 2018 World Cup squad.

Sviatchenko, who had Jozo Simunovic, Dedryck Boyata, Nir Bitton and Kristoffer Ajer in front of him at Celtic, had been linked with Southampton and FC Copenhagen.

It is understood that Hoops boss Brendan Rodgers had given the defender the green light to seek a move away from Celtic in the window.

But Sviatchenko looks like becoming the fifth player to exit Parkhead after Kundai Benyu, Nadir Ciftci, Regan Hendry and Mark Hill agreed loan spells.

Capped five times by Denmark, Sviatchenko had spells with Viborg, Houlkær and Søndermarken before joining Midtjylland in 2006.