Celtic defender Erik Sviatchenko is calm over the prospect of missing out on two matches against Manchester United next month, insisting he can face them in the Champions League with his new employers.

The 24-year-old signed from Danish side FC Midtjylland for a fee in the region of £1.5m, meaning he will miss out on facing the Red Devils in the last 32 of the Europa League.

After signing a three-and-a-half year deal with the option of a further 12 months, the Denmark international says he's looking long term in his career.

"I am 24 and I have to have a career that is beyond two games against United," he said

"I think we can face them in the Champions League in the future.

"I can see Celtic progressing to the place they belong, that is the Champions League. Their history is big, they have won the trophy.

"I don't say that we can do that again but I think we can be part of it every year but first and foremost we have to win the league.

"It's a winning club, they have been champions for the last four years.

"I won the championship in Denmark, I want to be remembered for winning. So it is a good match with Celtic."

Sviatchenko says he turned down the chance to join clubs in Italy, France and England in order to sign for Ronny Deila's team.

"I rejected it because I saw Celtic as a bigger club than some of the Premier League clubs," he said.

"It means a lot to me be at a club where I can feel the intensity, the atmosphere. I want to experience big games.

"I walked around Celtic Park and I had goose bumps.

"I talked to my former team mate Morten Rasmussen and he said, that even though he hadn't the success he had hoped for at Celtic, that I will always remember Celtic for being a big club and I can feel that."

And the defender also revealed his love for art as well as discussing his work with a mind coach to improve his game.

He said: "Sometimes when you are a young player it can be hard to find your identity so we worked on different things, the good Erik Sviatchenko and the bad Erik Sviatchenko and we find the good one.

"It was done to make me ready for a change but I didn't think it was for such a big club like Celtic. I had to pinch myself."