Subject to clearance, the man who spent half of last season at Inverness and part of this campaign playing Champions’ League qualifiers back home with FK Ventspils, will make his debut in tomorrow’s Tannadice clash with Hamilton Accies.

With full-backs Paul Dixon and Mihael Kovacevic out for the next couple of weeks or so and Andy Webster’s calf-strain absence set to extend to a fourth game, Mihadjuks’ arrival is perfectly timed.

He is likely to be used at right-back against Accies, but, in the long term, can stake a claim for a place in the middle of the defence — with Webster due back at Rangers in the summer, United will be in the market for a centre-back.

“I’m pleased to be able to get a player of his quality. He was one we saw a couple of times with Inverness last season and he impressed us,” said Houstie.

“At the end of the season, we knew we were getting Webby on loan, so we did not make a move for him, but, with the injuries we have at the back right now, he was in my thoughts right away.

“I got him over yesterday afternoon and, once he’d passed a medical, I managed to tie up a deal. Right now, it is until the end of the season, but the chance is there for the boy to make it longer by, or even before, then.”

After his spell in the Highlands, Mihadjuks returned to Latvia with Ventspils last summer on a short-term deal to help them in Europe.

In the August transfer window, he was close to joining Dundee and again almost moved to Dens Park last month. He agreed personal terms with boss Jocky Scott before the deal was scrapped because his agent demanded a £20,000 fee.

That left him without a club at the end of the transfer window last week, but, as a free agent, there was no barrier to him signing up at Tannadice last night.

Meanwhile, although Mihadjuks may have missed out on a move to one side of Tannadice Street, the defender believes he has landed lucky by joining Dundee United.

“I did think I was going to Dundee, but then they said ‘no’ and I had to start looking for another club,” said the Latvian. “That has meant I have come to Dundee United and I think this is better for me because it means I will be playing in a higher division again.”

Mihadjuks has experience of the top flight, having been at Inverness last term and during that spell played at Tannadice.

“I remember it was a very hard game, and United were a good team. For me, I am happy that, this time, I will be playing with a team near the top of the league.”

As well as being delighted at capturing a quality defender, the manager was quick to point out it was testimony to the efforts of his squad that, despite being constantly hampered by injuries, it is only now a move to bring in a new face has had to be made.

“I can hit you with seven names who, at the start of the season, we thought might be in our starting line-up and are now injured,” said Peter.

“Out right now are Wilkie, Sandaza, Cadamarteri, Robertson, Dixon, Kovacevic and, probably, Webster. A few of them have hardly played, so it is testimony to the efforts of the rest of the players that we are where we are in the league at the moment.”

Looking at that list, there was mixed news of left-back Dixon. His knee has quickly settled down after he jarred it at St Johnstone on Saturday, but he also damaged an ankle and that will keep him out for up to three weeks.

Striker Higgins has been out since a knee op. that followed his Alba Challenge Cup Final appearance in November, while defender McKeown has just completed a loan spell at Stirling Albion.

It was designed to get him games as he recovered from the latest bout of groin trouble that’s dogged his Dens career, though adverse weather restricted him to just a couple of appearances for the Binos.

“Along with David Cowan, who is a bit behind them, they are training with the rest of the squad and it’s about putting in some hard work to bring them on,” said Jocky.

“Higgins, in particular, is coming on quickly and it shouldn’t be too long before he is ready.”

While it is a case of sooner-the-better as he tries to get all his players fit, Jocky won’t be taking any risks and that’s why he knocked back a couple of offers of closed-door games this week.

“It’s too soon for the likes of Higgins and Cowan, but that should have changed by next week and I will try to get a game for them then.”

Soon after Geoff took over the helm in 1989, the club switched from Muirton Park to their present McDiarmid Park location and now look set to stay put.

The suspended Graham Gartland and injured Kevin Moon miss out for Saints at St Mirren tomorrow night.

However, Collin Samuel, on his way back from knee surgery, played for an hour of a 1-0 closed-door win over Morton, and could be in the squad.

Saints also gave a 45-minute runout to another long-term injury victim Kevin Rutkiewicz, but tomorrow’s game comes too soon for him to be considered.