South Korean footballer Ki Sung-yueng has agreed "in principle" to join Swansea City in the English Premier League, a team official said early Thursday, Korean time.



In an interview with Scotland STV, Swansea City Chairman Huw Jenkins said Ki is expected to travel to Wales, where the club is based, to finalize the deal "in the next 48 hours."



"We're very excited of the prospect of signing Ki who will be a good addition to the squad," Jenkins was quoted as saying.



Earlier this week, Jenkins had also told STV that his team and Celtic FC, Ki's current team in the Scottish Premier League, agreed on a transfer fee for the 23-year-old midfielder. Though an exact figure hasn't been disclosed, the fee is believed to be around 5 million pounds (US$7.9 million).



Ki is scheduled to take a 2 p.m. flight out of South Korea Thursday.



He has been linked to several other Premier League clubs over the summer, including Arsenal, Liverpool, Fulham and Queens Park Rangers (QPR).



If the deal is finalized, Ki would become the 10th South Korean to play in the Premier League. Three South Koreans are currently playing there: Park Ji-sung with QPR, Park Chu-young with Arsenal and Ji Dong-won with Sunderland.



Ki was an integral part of the South Korean squad that won the bronze medal at the London Olympics earlier this month. The medal granted him an exemption from the mandatory military service in South Korea.



After returning to South Korea following the Olympics, Ki hasn't joined Celtic for the Scottish season. The Scottish club is in Sweden this week for Champions League playoff action.



Ki joined FC Seoul in South Korea's K-League in 2006 and played his first professional game the following year. He joined Celtic in January 2010 and helped the team win the Scottish Premier League title last season.



A central midfielder known for his on-field vision and knack for scoring long-range goals, Ki has represented South Korea in 47 international matches and has been a fixture in the team's set pieces. He spent most of his youth career in Australia.



Swansea City finished 11th out of 20 teams in the English Premier League last season, its first following the promotion from the second-tier Football League Championship. It trounced QPR 5-0 in the first game of this season last weekend. (Yonhap News)