Dundee United still expect Eiji Kawashima to join them

Dundee United hope to ring in the new year by finally welcoming Japanese international goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima to the club.

While the rest of us will be preparing to celebrate the bells next week, Kawashima is due to spend most of Hogmanay sitting on a flight from Japan.

The ticket has been booked and he should be here in time to be an interested spectator when the Tangerines take on Dundee at Dens Park in the city derby on January 2.

A realistic date for his United debut is now the William Hill Scottish Cup fourth round tie against Airdrie at Excelsior Stadium the following Saturday.

There have been reports in the Dutch media linking Kawashima with a possible 11th-hour switch to NEC Nijmegen in the Netherlands.

Were that to happen it would be a brutal blow to Tannadice boss Mixu Paatelainen, who has been as patient as he could possibly be during the whole Kawashima saga.

However, the Tangerines remain confident they have secured the signature of the 32-year-old World Cup star despite his delayed arrival.