Dundee United boss Mixu Paatelainen has confirmed that the earliest date for Eiji Kawashima’s debut will be next Saturday in Inverness.
The SFA have endorsed the Tangerines’ work permit application for the experienced Japanese international and Kawashima will report for training with his new clubmates next midweek.
It all comes too late for him to feature against Partick Thistle at Tannadice today and he remains in his homeland for now but, given his good fitness level, Paatelainen should have him available for the trip to the Highlands.
The Tangerines boss said: “Eiji’s general fitness is OK and he has been training obviously on his own.
“He has been going to the gym every day and running but he hasn’t trained with the team which isn’t ideal.
“On top of the fitness there are tactical issues to consider as a goalkeeper and you have to get used to your new teammates.
“Being a goalie is all about starting positions and timing.
“Whenever there is a little delay or a period when a keeper doesn’t play it takes a little while to get into the swing of things.
“But hopefully his experiencehe has will help and soon he will be able to play at the level he wants to be at.”
Paatelainen, who looks likely to have central defender Callum Morris available after injury, is looking for the backline to be better than it has been.
He said: “I think we need to improve massively in defence.
“We are not defending as individuals.
They don’t realise the situation where they need to be at their sharpest.
“We do fall asleep a little bit.
“We’re a little bit too dozy if you like.
“But we tackle these situations all the time.
“After every match, the boys get their feedback and we look at the videos and clips from previous matches.
“They realise what they did right and what they did wrong.”