Dynamo: MLS side set to sign former Celtic star

It looks as though the MLS will inherit another former Celtic star sooner rather than later…

Erik Sviatchenko looks set to follow in the footsteps of Montreal’s Victor Wanyama and recent Atlanta United signing Giorgos Giakoumakis.

What’s the word?

That is according to a recent report from Daily Record who state that the Danish defender is closing in on a move to Houston Dynamo.

The commanding central defender joined Glaswegian giants Celtic back in the 2015/16 season and excelled during his time there, becoming a fans favourite whilst winning an unprecedented treble under the guidance of current Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers.

Danish Dynamo

Sviatchenko made the move back to hometown club FC Midtjylland back in 2018 and, just like his first spell that commenced back in 2009, has not looked back since.

The 31-year-old is somewhat of a dynamo for Midtjylland and tops the charts for defensive actions among the squad in the form of 1.5 interceptions and 4.5 clearances per 90.

On the ball, his presence is clear too.

Sviatchenko’s average of 46.8 accurate passes per game rank him third among the Midtjylland squad, whilst his average of 4.0 accurate long balls per 90 would rank him second among the Dynamo set-up, just behind Hector Herrera.

The Final Say

Having conceded a gut-wrenching five goals in their first two games of the season, Houston Dynamo have a potential weak point at the back.

A clean-sheet against Austin FC in their last game is positive but arguably fortuitous, given the fact that the away side had 13 shots on goal, drumming up an expected goals (xG) tally of 0.96, which included a big miss from the Oaks.

The arrival of Sviatchenko will bring further stability and experience to the Dynamo defence, giving manager Ben Olsen a positive benching conundrum in the process.