www.football-live.co.nr

Full-back Hinkel moved to Sevilla in the summer of 2006

Celtic have completed the signing of Andreas Hinkel from the Spanish side Sevilla for a fee of around £1.9m.

The 25-year-old German right-back has signed a contract which ties him to the Scottish champions until 2011.

"I am delighted to sign for Celtic Football Club and am really looking forward to joining up with my new team-mates," Hinkel said.

"I'll be doing my very best to work as hard as I can to try and bring as much success as possible to Celtic."

The attacking right-back, who joined Sevilla from Stuttgart in June 2006, had been talking to Wolfsburg and Borussia Dortmund after submitting a transfer request.

It's a great honour to join the club and I hope to play an important part in the club's future over the next few years Celtic defender Andreas Hinkel

Hinkel has already passed a medical with the Glasgow club.

Injuries to Mark Wilson and Jean-Joel Perrier Doumbe have prompted Celtic manager Gordon Strachan to move for the player.

"It's a great honour to join the club and I hope to play an important part in the club's future over the next few years," Hinkel continued.

"Celtic is a great club with a great history, having achieved such success at home and in Europe.

"Having already played against Celtic in European competition, I am well aware of the magnificent stadium and wonderful passionate support which the club enjoys.

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan said: "We are delighted to complete this signing.

"Andreas is someone who we have been looking at for some time and we are pleased to have finally got him to Celtic.

"We are sure he has all the qualities to be a great success at the club."

Chief Executive Peter Lawwell said: "We are very pleased to welcome Andreas to Celtic.

"He is a player with a fantastic pedigree and one who was in high demand, with a number of other clubs interested in him - we are pleased to have been successful in securing his signature.

"We are delighted once again to have invested in the first team through this signing and can assure fans that the Celtic board will continue to do all we can to support Gordon's plans for the development of the Celtic squad."

Central defender Gary Caldwell has filled the right-back position in recent games.

"Hinkel isn't getting the continuity he needs, because he's competing with Daniel Alves, the best right-back in the world," Sevilla sports director Ramon Rodriguez told the club website.

Meanwhile, Brazilian defender Coelho, 24, was expected to meet his probable future Celtic team-mates for the first time after arriving in Scotland.

The right-back arrived in Glasgowon Thursday and the club and player will look at each other over the coming week, as Strachan seeks to increase his defensive options.