CELTIC manager Ronny Deila says he is building a Hoops team for the long haul after landing Erik Sviatchenko.

The Danish defender arrives at Parkhead on a deal that will keep him in Glasgow until the summer of 2020 and comes just a month after striker Leigh Griffiths penned a new five-year deal with the Hoops.

First-team favourite Nir Bitton committed his future to the club until 2020 the previous month, while Craig Gordon, Scott Brown and Kieran Tierney are all secured for prolonged periods.

It is part of Deila’s vision in the short-term that the long-term is taken care of, a factor he believes will go a long way to providing some continuity for this summer’s European qualifiers.

“Last year we had players like Jason Denayer and John Guidetti who didn’t stay. It was a bad time to lose players who had played quite regularly,” he said.

“So that is an important thing this year. We also had the situation with Virgil van Dijk, where we knew something was going to happen.

“So it gets a little edgy when things are like that. Now, we have many players on longer contracts and we can build some future from it.”

Deila’s promptness to get the Sviatchenko deal done shows his intentions for this January transfer window.

While keeping a keen eye on Rasmus Falk, Celtic have also been linked with Molde striker Mohamed Elyounoussi, a player who scored against the Hoops on Europa League duty at Parkhead earlier this season.

The Moroccan-born Norwegian claimed yesterday: "It is true that there is interest, but it's there from elsewhere too.

"Time will tell. I am concentrating on my contract and I am working hard to get in shape."

Deila was less forthcoming when asked, but did admit he hopes more will follow Sviatchenko through the Parkhead door.

“I can’t comment on names,” he said. “We are into different things and we will comment if anything happens.

“There is nothing that is clear now.

“We have to find the right ones – we are looking everywhere for good options.”

Regarding any players following Anthony Stokes in the opposite direction with the striker set to go on loan at Hibs, his boss added: “There could be others on loan, but we will need to see what the right options are.

“It can be good for the youngsters to go out on loan.”

Turning his attention to tonight's visit of Hamilton Academical in the Ladbrokes Premiership, Deila said: “We want to keep on winning and Hamilton will be a tough game.

“We need to start with the intensity we need to create chances and score goals.”