O’Dea’s arrival will strengthen Leeds’s defence

Manager Simon Grayson is expecting to unveil the 24-year-old as his fourth summer signing in time for the Republic of Ireland international to be included in the squad for Saturday’s opening day trip to Southampton.

O’Dea, who spent most of last season on loan at Ipswich Town, has featured at either left-back or in the centre of defence during his 49 appearances for Celtic.

His capture will be a timely boost for Grayson, who in recent days has come in for criticism from fans for not bolstering a defence that last season conceded 70 goals in 46 league games.

O’Dea, who made 20 appearances for Ipswich last term and played at left-back in their goalless draw at Elland Road, has won nine caps with the Republic.

Meanwhile, United chairman Ken Bates has launched a scathing attack on MPs following their inquiry into football governance. Bates has slammed the culture, media and sport committee’s review and accused one of the MPs, Damian Collins, of having a “hidden agenda or vendetta” against Leeds after he called for an FA investigation into the past ownership of the club.

The report called for a major overhaul of the way English football is run, with radical changes to the FA’s structure and independent board members of the FA.

But Bates last night hit back: “This is supposed to be the awe-inspiring, earth-shaking, fearless investigation into football generally and the things I have heard so far don’t amount to a row of beans.”

The Leeds chief added: “Why Damian Collins is carrying such a torch for Leeds when he is an avowed Manchester United supporter living in Kent, as many of them do, I do not know.

“I suspect there is a hidden agenda here or he has a vendetta against the club or myself.”

When asked for his response to Bates’s comments, Collins, the MP for Folkestone and Hythe, insisted that fans should know exactly who owns their club.

He said: “It is important for fans to know who owns their club, whether they are fit and proper people, and if they have other interests in football which could be considered to be a conflict.

“Ken Bates clearly thinks that this is none of their business, and I think he is wrong.”

United are set to be without Robert Snodgrass and Max Gradel for next Tuesday’s Carling Cup first round tie with Bradford City after the pair were called up for international duty by Scotland and the Ivory Coast respectively.