Swansea hope to seal Ki deal on Friday

Swansea manager Michael Laudrup is confident of completing the club-record signing of South Korea midfielder Ki Sung-Yeung from Celtic on Friday.

Laudrup's club have agreed a fee of around £6 million with the Scottish champions for Ki, who helped his country win a bronze medal at the London Olympics.

The 23-year-old, who has yet to return to Celtic this season as he tries to secure a move, will travel to south Wales for a medical and contract talks on Friday and Laudrup expects the deal to be done before the weekend.

Former Barcelona and Real Madrid star Laudrup, whose side won 5-0 at QPR on the opening weekend of the Premier League season, believes Ki is a vital addition to Swansea's squad after the loss of Wales international Joe Allen to Liverpool.

"The contract is not signed yet. I would like to wait before everything is signed and sealed but the deal should go through, he is an important player for us to have in the midfield," Laudrup said.

"We have lost Joe Allen so it is important for the strength of the squad to have a player like that, if we sign him then we'll all be happy.

"He's a very dynamic player and, like the players we have signed and those we will sign, he can fit into our style.

"He has already played a couple of seasons in British football, which is important.

"The players we have brought in from abroad have made a great start, but to have experience of the British style of football is important."

Laudrup also remains interested in signing Valencia winger Pablo Hernandez as a potential replacement for Scott Sinclair, who is wanted by Manchester City and has told the Swansea boss he will not sign a new contract.

City have made a bid of around £5 million for Sinclair and Laudrup conceded the former Chelsea player could leave before the transfer window closes on August 31.

"What will happen in next week I don't know. We will have to see what happens now, a deal might not happen until next Friday evening perhaps," he added.